Night and Day
by rianterren
Summary: After the Dark Days the human population was almost destroyed. Out of the ashes rose Panem and its 12 districts. Every citizen is forced to marry who the Capitol chooses and must meet the quota of four children. If the family fails to follow the laws than they're never seen from again and its like they've never existed. The Capitol controls everything, at least for now. *REWRITE*
1. Chapter 1: Year 1

The mist from the ocean bounces off the jagged rocks and tickles my face. The mist is cold and salty, it wakes me up almost instantly. I bite my lips as I strip off my clothes to reveal my faded striped swim suit that is a size too small and a hand-me-down from my older sister Kassi. I could always ask my parents for a new swimsuit but I didn't need it anymore. I wouldn't be here for much longer anyways.

I dip my toe into the water and shiver at how invigorating it is. The perfect way to chase away sleep is by jumping into the ice cold ocean. So that's exactly what I do.

The water envelopes around me and shocks my system into going numb. I tumble around in the waves for a few moments and it reminds me of when I was first being taught how to swim. My older brother, Finnick, was given the task of teaching me since both my parents had to work. Instead of showing me the strokes and how to float like how most people taught children to swim, he just tossed me into the water. Finnick would have never let me drown and the water wasn't even very deep but still that moment was one of the most terrifying moments of my life. Finnick obviously knew what he was doing though because not only was I the first kid my age in the neighborhood that learned how to swim, I also one of the best swimmers.

I come up to the surface and take big heaving breaths of the fresh morning air. My body has been numbed by the cold water but I'm wide awake now. The sea is calm today and the weather is surprisingly clear. The sky is usually a cloudy overcast grey where the blue sky can barely breakthrough in the mornings. The water is also usually churning like it's in a constant battle with itself and the shore. Not today though, it's almost eerie how quiet it is.

The sun is just starting to become warm overhead and I know I only have about two hours before I need to return home. My results are coming in the mail today and I knew if I wasn't there to open it, my brother or my mom would because they wouldn't be able to help themselves. My family didn't understand what privacy was. What was yours was also theirs and what was theirs was also yours. It was annoying but sweet at the same time.

The results are also very important, another reason my family wouldn't be able to control their curiosity. The results held my future. If the results were good than it meant that I was going to be contracted to a man in another district. It meant that I was going to be ripped away from my family so I can fulfill my duty to the Capital. After all that was the only reason anyone had children anyways, if you failed to meet the quota of four, well no one really knows what happens other than you disappear. _Poof_, gone, like you never existed in the first place.

Years ago, during the Dark Days, a plague broke out through Panem and wiped out more than half of our country's population. To save us the Government, also known as the Capital, quarantined the Districts so that the only people who could move from place to place were the officials. Then the Capital decided to build the population back up, breed us like we were cattle so that we would become immune to the disease that struck our land.

You were raised your whole life planning for Contract Day. It was simple really, out of the four children you must have only one can stay in the home District. The other three were sent away to another District, to their contract partners home District. As if that wasn't bad enough after Contract Day you never saw your family again, you couldn't send letters or make phone calls. The only thing that ever could remind you of them was the pictures, if your family could afford to take pictures, and your memories. It's terrible really but this is what we have to do. It is our duty to the Capital, for mankind, or at least that's what they like liked to implant in our brains. It was hard to believe that the Capital still needed us to be contracted, the Dark Days were seventy three years ago and there hasn't been a case of the plague for almost half of that time. The Capital just liked to stay in control of us.

Finnick and my father, Adam, always say that the Capital's biggest fear is that their people will grow smart and will finally resist the Capital's rule. I'll most likely be long gone by the time that happens. The Capital has an iron rule over us.

The water draws back and I dive into the deep sea again. This is a good place to find seashells since it's close to the reef. My mom likes to make jewelry out of the shells or sea glass that my sister and I find. It was a good way to make extra money when things became difficult financially.

The best shells are always deeper down where the ocean current can't pull them up to the shores and cause them to break. I can hold my breath for about four minutes which gave me just enough time to dive and collect. The water grows colder the farther down you go and I suddenly regret my choice of diving this far.

From the corner of my eye I catch a shadow that causes me to freeze. Shadows in the water can be anything from a boat to a more dangerous predator. The shadow is towards the surface and I look up slowly, blowing out bubbles in relief upon the sight.

It's just my fourteen year old sister Persi. She grins at me and the two of us make the dive for the shells. Both Persi and I are perfect mixes of our parents. We have long slender bodies like our mother, Tanya, a native of District Five, and her dark brown eyes. We also got her soft features and full lips. From our father Alan, a District Four native, we both received his curly unruly red hair and golden skin.

We bob up to the surface at the same time and Persi splashes me. I lift a brow at her but don't retaliate, Persi is known for winning all the splash fights she initiates. "Good morning Persi." I say before smiling warmly at her.

Persi grins at me, her smile stretching from ear to ear, "Good morning Norah. Your results are in, but I got the mail before mama could so your letter is hiding, tucked away under our bed."

"Thank you." I say and she rolls her eyes at how formal I am. She hates how I act sometimes because she doesn't understand why. Persi's still a child at heart and probably hates Contract Day as much as our father. My mother assured me that Persi would grow out of her stubborn ways and become the dutiful wife she has been attending school to be but I wasn't as sure. Persi's attitude made me nervous that she would slip up and disappear. The thought causes my throat to close and I shake my head to rid it from my mind. I couldn't imagine my sweet sister being taken for treason.

Persi swims away from me and I can tell that she's heading for the Reef. We both enjoyed our time down there since it is so colorful and full of life. I loved to watch the fish swim and live out their short simple little lives.

"What I would do to become a fish, to live a life where I didn't have to worry about anything really." I say out loud just as Persi resurfaces.

She points as a pelican who is just swooping down to the water and scooping up the fish that have swam too close to the surface, "Fish have worries too." Persi says and I shake my head at her a little.

I would rather be eaten by a pelican that forced to marry someone I didn't love, but Persi doesn't understand that. Well she doesn't understand that yet, she will in four years though when it's her time to be contracted to a man in another District. Finnick was my parent choice child to stay in the District, they picked him because he's the only son and someone needed to take over my father's fishing boat after he passed. Sure the job could have been taken by one of our husbands but my father would never trust his boat to someone who wasn't his own blood.

"Norah!" Persi calls and I look at her quickly. She must have been calling me for a long time because she has a faint wrinkle in her brow that alerts me to her annoyance. I wasn't paying attention, I was too busy staring at the distant fishing boats off in the distant. They look like ants, "Norah!"

I look at her again and smile sheepishly. I've been known to daydream about unnecessary things, it drives my family insane since I don't hear anything that they're saying to me. My teachers believed I did it because I wasn't really all there, my believed it was because I read too many books and lived in a fantasy, and my father believed I daydreamed because the Capital brainwashing screwed me up more than the other kids.

My father's theory made me laugh when I thought about it but also scares me some. What if I was really messed up and wouldn't be contracted? I would be sent to the Capital and be turned into an Avox. The thought makes my hands go clammy and my feet to tingle.

"As I was saying," Persi says and I tilt my head at her forgetting that she had been talking in the first place, "let's head back to shore. Mama's probably tearing the whole house apart looking for your results and I hid some sweets behind the couch that I'd rather she not fine."

Persi isn't allowed to have a lot of sugar, it makes her crazier than she already is. "Alright, let's go."

The towels are warm from baking in between the hot sun and even hotter sand. The sand scalds our feet as we hurry to the paved trails that will lead us to the Town Square and then home.

"Are you scared of Contract Day?" Persi asks suddenly as we walk up the path slowly. People are milling all around us, it's a busy Sunday since it's the last Sunday of August which means the fish market is open. All the fishermen sell their unwanted catches to the citizens of District Four since the Capital deemed them unworthy.

"No, I'm not scared of Contract Day. It is my duty as a citizen to Panem and I am a loyal citizen." I say and Persi makes a face at me.

"But what are your feelings? I don't want to hear what the Capital has drilled into your head. I want to hear how you, Norah Ann Odair, feels about the whole thing." Persi says before poking me and I sigh tucking a loose hair behind my ear.

"I'm terrified. I'm scared that I'll be contracted to someone who doesn't love me or won't appreciate me. Is that what you want to hear?" I ask in a low voice and Persi nods her head satisfied.

Persi goes to ask me another question but I shake my head at her, "This is not the time nor place to have this conversation Persi." I say in warning before nodding to the Peacekeepers who are stationed close-by.

I make eye contact with one of them and I smile in his direction before pulling Persi closer to me and walking just a few steps quicker. Persi makes a face at me and I lick my lips nervously.

"I don't understand how you and mama can tolerate the Capital scum." Persi says and I grip her arm hard, the same way our mother does whenever any of us children did anything wrong.

"That's enough Persi." I snap before pushing her ahead of me and shaking my head. I cast another glance towards the Peacekeepers but find that neither of them is interested in us.

Persi picks up on this language from our father and Finnick. Both of them hate the Capital and have a strong influence on Persi. She believes that it's okay to speak that way outside of the house, not understanding the real danger it can cause to not only her but to us as well. I'm almost sure that my father and Finnick are part of the Rebel group that ransacks the Capital trains and boats that bring the goods to the Capital.

I take a few quick steps to catch up with Persi and say, "It's dangerous to speak like that. It will bring nothing but trouble to you and to our family."

"I know that." Persi says icily and I sigh.

"Then why do you do it?" I ask and Persi shoots me a look. My god, if looks could kill a person.

"Because I can." She answers, "If dad and Finnick talk that way-"

I cut her off, "Dad and Finnick should be talking like that either. I'm going to be telling mama what you said." I say and she throws her skinny arms in the air.

"Of course you are! You tell mama everything!" Persi says and I roll my eyes, sure I was kind of a tattletale bit only when it came to dangerous things. I only told when Finnick was going to do something stupid like jumping off the roof because he wanted to fly or when Persi spoke out like this.

My little sister will always want to speak out of term but I hope that when she gets older she'll learn to bite her tongue. She may be able to get away with her words at home with us but what happens when she's contracted. Her husband may expect the perfect dutiful wife, not someone who is as sharp tongued and quick-witted as Persi. I've seen what happen to those women who have been contracted to men who don't like their attitude. They're beat, some even murdered. I'm terrified of that happening to Persi, especially since she'll be in a District where Finnick and I can't protect her.

I wrap my arm around my sister and play with one of her loose curls, she's tense at my touch at first but soon returns the embrace by wrapping her arm around my waist and burying her face into the side of me. She takes a deep breath and looks up at me, from her wide brown eyes I could tell that she is sorry and from mine she could tell that I wasn't going to tell mama.

"You do need to work on the attitude though Persi." I say and she nods her head at me.

"I know, but it's just hard because some people are just so stupid." She answers and I laugh at her as we round the corner to our street.

Our street has about thirty different homes all of them different colors that range from a sunset orange to a sky blue. On the outside their as different as the fish you can find at the Reef but on the inside they're all exactly the same, a standard one story with three bedrooms and one bathroom, there's also a large room that is a combination of the dining room and living room with the kitchen off to the side. This is the home for the working class in District Four, you're not given much but it's still enough to live.

Our mother is waiting for us at the table with a grin on her face when she sees me. In one hand she has my envelope, unopened thankfully, and in the other hand she has a bag full of sweets. Persi makes a noise, upset that out mother found her stash of candy.

"My sweet girl," my mother says with a smile before putting the bag of candy on the table, "I am so proud of you." She says before pulling me into a bone crushing hug that only mothers can give.

"You don't even know what the results say." I reply back and she pulls back from the ug to cup my face.

"That's right mom," Finnick says as he comes through the backdoor with his wife, Annie, trailing behind him. She holding my six month old nephew Finn and his eyes light up when he sees Persi. The kid loved my sister, "who knows Norah really could be just as stupid as the teachers have been telling us." He says this in a teasing tone but Annie still slaps his arm for me.

"Thanks Annie." I say with a smile as she sits down on our faded light blue couch. She smiles back and turns her attention to Finn. Annie wasn't all there from an accident she had as a child, she's a native of District One, and was only contracted because she's brilliant when she's not having one of her _moments_. Annie just likes to keep to herself which is why we probably got along so well. I couldn't imagine anyone else being contracted to my brother. You could tell that when the two of them looked at each other they really are in love and didn't just tolerate each other for the Capital's sake. What they felt for one another was rare but I still hoped to find it.

My father walks in from the back door just as we all sit around the table and I smile looking at him. He lifts a brow me and winks before taking his spot at the head of the table. He smells like fish and saltwater, typical for a fisherman. "Well Norah," my father says after my mother hands me my letter, "open it."

I pull the seam of the envelope open slowly. I'm sitting on the edge of my seat and I feel my hands become clammy again but this time there's no ocean water to hide it. I pull the results out and read over the charts and large words that I would never understand fully in a million years, but I get the gist of what the results say and I put them back into the envelope before looking back towards my family.

"Well?" Finnick says and I try to keep my face stoic even though all I want to do us laugh at my brother who is bouncing up and down in his chair. He's acting like a two year old waiting for a piece of cake.

"I passed." I say and my family sighs in relief causing me to laugh at them. Persi grins at me and I my eyes trace over her sunburnt skin, freckled nose and wild hair. She's so excited for me like how I was with my sister Kassi before she left. I feel the sudden urge to tell Persi that Contract Day isn't what you expect at all but I don't. I would let her have her innocence for as long as she could.

I wonder if Kassi felt this way about me. I was twelve when she left and its sometimes hard for me to picture her face in my mind. I was very close to Kassi, we had the same relationship that Persi and I have so I know how Persi's going to feel when it's time for me to leave.

My father breaks my train of thought when he puts a strong hand on my shoulder, "I'm very proud of you." He says and I smile at him, "We'll have a feast tonight!" He says and my siblings cheer.

"No, we don't need to do that." I say and Finnick rolls his eyes before popping a sugar cube into his mouth. Our mother swats his hand and he laughs, Persi takes this moment to try to take the bag of sweets off the table but my mother catches her too.

"Don't think that you're going to get away with that little lady." My mother says and Persi tries to smile as innocently as possible but we can all see through it.

As my mother reprimands both Persi and Finnick for eating too much sweets and I can't help but snicker at my twenty-something year old brother being scolded by our mother.

My father was able to buy four moderately sized lobsters at the fish market today and I clap my hands together because lobster is one of my favorite meals. It was rare to have it even though we lived in the fishing district, lobster is still very expensive.

We all sit around the table passing the plates of food and all of us trying to talk over the other. We are all very close, especially us children. My mother wanted all of us to be friends and not strangers that lived together. Family is the most important thing to all of us.

Finnick stands up and I look up to my older brother with a brow raised. "I would like to make a toast." He says and I immediately slide down in my chair feeling my cheeks flare up in embarrassment.

"My baby sister, who I guess isn't much of a baby anymore, will be leaving our home in a week's time. The thought terrifies all of us because I know every single one of us will miss Norah more than I think she'll ever know. I just want to say how proud I am of Norah for handling everything so graciously and I know that whoever she is contracted to will love our little Norah as much as we do." Finnick says and the table smiles and nods their heads in agreement.

Finnick then looks at me and touches my shoulder lightly, "I hope you know that wherever you end up, you'll always be a part of our family."

Persi stands up and thrusts her drink in the air. "To Norah!" The table laughs and clinks glasses together.

I smile but I feel the tears stinging my eyes. I don't know how I'm going to work up enough strength to ever leave these people that I love so much.

* * *

I like this beginning much better than the other. I'll hopefully have the next chapter posted in a few days.

On a note that has nothing to do with anything with my story I just wanted everyone to know that I got into college! Yay!

Let me know what you guys think!

Rian T.


	2. Chapter 2

I'm pulled out of my light slumber by the annoying sound of one of the neighborhood roosters crowing on the fence outside my bedroom window. I hate those stupid birds even if they are great alarm clocks. I always want to get a good kick at one when I pass, but they usually get angry and retaliate by nipping back at you. I learned that the hard way when I was six and Finnick was twelve. He gave the big red colored rooster a good kick and the bird turned and charged right for us. Finnick got away so I became the birds target. I still have the scar on my ear from where the bird latched on.

I roll out of bed and land with a thud on the floor. I'm usually a morning person but Persi had a bad night last night, she tossed and turned complaining the whole time that she couldn't get comfortable. It was probably around two this morning when she finally calmed down and we were both able to get some sleep. I get up feeling like I just rose from the dead, I stretch and my limbs crack loosening up some of the tension.

I pull the sandy colored drapes back from the window and find that the sun is just rising into the sky. It's turning the sky into a mix of oranges and purples. The water reflects off the sky and the whole scene is incredibly breathtaking. I've lived my whole life here the beauty of District Four still amazes me every day.

I sigh knowing that I can't spend my whole day watching the view from my bedroom window. I have work, like most of the people in District Four. You start at work at twelve years old and you keep your same job all the way to the day your contracted to a new District, if you're staying in your home District than you keep the same job you were given the day you turned twelve. The only days off I knew of were for woman who had children to care for at home but once those kids were old enough to feed and care for themselves then you had to return to work. _Panem must continue to strive._

I work at the docks scraping barnacles off the underside of ships. It's not glamorous but it's quite repetitive. _Soak. Scrape. Wipe. Repeat. _It continues like that from seven in the morning until twelve in the afternoon when our shift ends and we are sent to our classes. I've also been in the same classroom with the same kids and teacher since I started school at seven. Not one child here has dropped out of school; our District is one of the lucky ones that is better off than some of the outer Districts.

I pull my eyes from the window and slip out of my night gown. The air is cold and goose bumps appear on every inch of my skin. I dress into my soft old blue jeans and a white t-shirt, making sure to tuck the hem of my shirt into my pants so that it doesn't get snagged on something on docks. My hair is pulled back into a low messy braid since it is untamable and I put on a signature District Four woven hat. It's like a rite of passage when a girl receives her first woven hat. It's almost like our own personal sign of adulthood here. I received mine on my first day of work from my mother, as did Persi and Kassi. The woven hats help keep the sun out of your eyes and protects our faces from the harsh sun, although most people in District Four had a pretty golden tint to our skin the people who weren't from here could get pretty sunburned.

I don't even try to get Persi out of bed knowing that she won't get up unless I put a warm breakfast muffin on the dresser as incentive. My sister is not a morning person, at all. The girl could stay up all night and sleep the day away. It bothered me to no end because how was she supposed to be a good house wife if she couldn't get up at the right time.

I crinkle my nose at that thought. My mother scolded me to no end to get off of Persi's back. Persi isn't my child and my mother will handle things when the time comes, when I have my own children I can raise them to be however I want but Persi wasn't mine to mold. My mother likes us to be our own persons. This was something that I find to be dangerous, very dangerous.

"Good morning Honey Bee," my mother coos from the kitchen and I smile at her. She's all dressed up in a work clothes; a soft white cotton dress that covered all the right places, her hair is braided neatly down her back, and her woven hat rests perfectly on her head. My mother is a very beautiful woman.

I feel my cheeks heat up at the sound of my childhood nickname. "Good morning Mama." I say before grabbing two warm bran muffins off the tray for myself and Persi. I permit her to kiss my cheek and afterwards she tries to do something with my wild mess of hair.

"Just leave it, Mama." I say and she sighs tying off the ribbon at end.

"I don't know where you got that hair." My mother says with a small smirk and I know she's joking because it's obvious that I got it from her. My mom could control her hair though because she cared what it looks like. My mother had to look presentable for her job in the tailor's shop, occasionally that got a Capitol customer and it would not do well to make a bad impression since we want their business.

"I should probably go get Persi up." I say and my mother smiles at me warmly, "We don't want to be late."

"My sweet Norah, when are you going to realize that not everything needs to be so serious? I'm sure the man you're going to be contracted too isn't going to expect you to be perfect with everything you do." My mother says this in a soft tone so that I don't get defensive.

"I'd rather be safe than sorry Mama. You've seen how some of the husbands treat their wives for simply burning a batch of muffins or for not ironing the shirts the right way." I say and my mother frowns at me, "I'm not going to be one of them."

I leave the room before my mother can say anything and I set the muffin on the dresser before moving to the side of the bed and shaking my sister awake. Her brown eyes open and she smiles at me right away.

"Morning." She says with a yawn and I smile pushing her messy hair out of her face. It's in a terrible rats nest from Persi tossing and turning through the night.

"It's time to get up." I say calmly and Persi groans, "Come on, I let you sleep an extra twenty minutes."

She sniffs the air for a moment and her head turns to face the muffin that waits for her on the dresser. She crinkles her nose since I've set it in a place where she can't reach it from her spot in bed. "Fine, I'll get up."

I smile and lace up my brown work boots. Their tall and reach up to cover my full shin that way if I have to go into the shallow water for any reason I won't have to get my pants soaked. I tuck my pants in tightly and look up to find Persi in a mess. She has the muffin top in her mouth and her work shirt is wrinkled. I sigh but bite my tongue knowing that if I point out her messy flaws it will just lead to an argument and we'll really be late.

Persi and I finally leave the house and set out on the path that is opposite of our mothers. She worked in town and we worked on the docks, closer to the water. Persi worked in a large factory a little ways off but this path still took us to our destinations. Persi's job was to filet and package the fish in the large industrial building with barely any windows or natural light. A girl of her age shouldn't be working at all, let alone in a factory where they had dangerous machines. The last accident ripped a sixteen year old boy's arm clear off. Persi saw the whole thing and had nightmares for a month.

We walk on the dirt path in silence. I study the green sea grass that is starting to sprout up; I won't get to see any of the sea grass fully grown out this year. I sigh and hoist my schoolbag higher on my shoulder. Persi leans against me and I laugh at the fact that my little sister is falling asleep standing up.

"You need to focus Persi, we don't want an accident at work." I say and Persi yawns in response. She seems to agree with what I have to say though because she stands up straighter and stretches her limbs.

When we reach the fork in the rode I fix Persi's hat for her like I do every morning and she hugs me tightly around my midsection. I tell her that I'll see her at home for dinner and she tells me that she loves me. It's a routine we have. I walk down towards the path that leads left towards the dock but turn and watch Persi as she makes her way towards the large looming grey building. She pauses and straightens out her shirt. She re-tucks it into her pants and then removes her hat to re-braid her hair. Her fingers move swiftly through her hair and I smile to myself as she ties it off at the end. Her hat is then resituated on her head and she walks down the path with her shoulders back and her head held high. Perhaps my sister won't be incredibly helpless as I thought. I feel ashamed for doubting her all this time.

I clock into work right on time. The gears needed to get rid of the barnacles off the bottom of the boats are distributed when you clock in. Henderson, a senior worker here at the docks, smiles at me as he hands me a bucket with the necessary tools. There's soup, a clay scraper, muriatic acid, stain remover and a few rags. The bucket is heavy but I'm used to the load since I've been lugging the bucket from boat to boat for four years now.

Margo waves me over to a large Capitol boat with a large red bottom. The amount of barnacles on the bottom is almost insane and there's about twenty people working on it. A few are issued high pressure power washers to knock them off easier. Margo's wide caramel colored eyes widen even more and I smile at her. She's been my best friend since the first day of school when we were seated at the same table. Margo and I are mostly opposite. She has curly black hair that she keeps short and pushed back with scarves or headbands and her skin is naturally a dark caramel color. Her mother is a native of District Eleven. She has broad shoulders from working in the orchards but Margo's build is small, almost like a bird.

Being the youngest of her family she's the last one being sent away on Contract Day. Her parents chose her older sister Maya to stay in District Four because she has strong work ethic and probably the only one capable of keeping her father's fishing boat working after he's too old to continue. Maya gained her mother's broad shoulders and tough exterior; she is a rather sweet girl though.

"Are you ready for Contract Day?" Margo asks as she works the putty scraper under the barnacle. I cringe and bite my lip hoping she doesn't scratch the cherry red paint.

"I'm ready to get it over with." I say truthfully and Margo laughs. She's actually excited about Contract Day; she sees it as a new adventure. Margo has always searched for different ways to have fun, she's terrifying really. I couldn't imagine doing half the things she does past the District curfew. Of course I was present during these late night rendezvous at the Coves with the other people we hang out with but I never participated in hopping over the District fence or swimming in the deep waters.

"I really hope I'm contracted to someone in District Eleven." Margo says and I nod my head, even though I'm not really listening.

Margo continues talking, not noticing that I'm not paying attention to any words she says. I try to focus on the smooth rhythm it takes to get the barnacles off cleanly. The process is tedious, one wrong move and you can ruin the paint on the boat, you aren't paid for a week after that to cover the damage. To get the job done right you have to scrape the top off and then spray the bottom part of the barnacle that's still stuck to the boat with the muriatic acid. The barnacle will fizzle the same way snails do when you pour salt on top of them, from the fizzling you know that they are dissolving. I then have to be careful to wash the acid off with the soap and water, this will neutralize the acid. The stain remover is used to wipe off any off the residue that the barnacle will had left over.

We don't do this for all the boats, only the Capitol ones. The local fishermen's boats just work around the barnacles, only scraping them off when their boat needs a repaint, which doesn't happen often since pain can get expensive. I remember my father had put Finnick and Kassi in charge of painting his boat _Sweet Sunday. _They got into an argument about something, I can't really remember the details because I was young when it happened, but I do remember that the bucket of paint ended up on Finnick's head.

My father never let any of us paint his boat again unless he was present.

"Hello? Earth to Norah!" Margo says before waving her rag in front of my face.

"Hmm?" I say looking up and meeting her eyes. She laughs and rings the towl before hitting me in the thigh with it. I gasp and spray her with my water bottle.

"I've been talking to you for like twenty minutes and you didn't hear a single word I said." Margo says this with a dramatic intake of breath. She could be one of those Capital actresses if she had been born someplace other than here.

"I heard you. You said you wanted to be contracted to someone in District Eleven." I say and she sigh turning back to the boat.

"No I was telling you about how my sister is pregnant again, but obviously you were too wrapped up in your own little world." Margo says and I laugh apologizing to her.

"Ok, tell the story again." I say and she looks at me, cocking a brow up at me, "I promise I'll really listen this time."

By the time the bells rings to end our shift Margo and I are both sticky with sweat and are arms are sore. Margo rolls her shoulders and throws her school bag over her shoulder. All of us had old worn out leather messenger bags to carry our school supplies. I remember my mother stitching my name onto the flap outside. _Norah Rochelle Odair._ Is still stitched on the front but fading slightly. I run my finger over the carful stitching now, my mother had done it so perfectly.

I hoist my bag over my shoulder and rub my arms. You would think after four years of working at the docks I would be used to the exhaustion my arms feel after my shift but I'm not. I always feel like I'm going to drop after work.

"I can't believe we still havde to go to school. I mean we already finished our placement exams and I'm sure they've already picked who our top three matches are. I think we should just be able to go home now." Margo says before kicking a rock down the dirt path. The dirt swirls up like smoke from a fire and I sneeze as it tickles my nose.

"I don't really mind going to school." I say and Margo rolls her eyes dramatically.

"Do you have to disagree with everything I say?" Margo asks.

"Yes." I answer and Margo pushes me slightly.

Even though I'm not the most brilliant person in the classroom I still enjoyed attending school. I felt like a child still, not an eighteen year old that's going to be married off to some man she doesn't know and live in some District she's never been to.

The school house is actually multiple buildings spread out along a sea cliff. The building were in is the small white one that's surrounded by sea grass. The door is blue and the windows have matching shudders. The roof is green and the shingles are sliding off from the most recent storm. Our building is the smallest and closes to the edge.

The wind is strong up on the cliff and it's able to drag the salty mist from the ocean up to tickle our faces. Margo and I stand close to the edge watching the waves rise and crash against the cliff. It's like a never ending war between the two elements.

"It's sad we're going to be leaving this place." Margo whispers quietly and I bite my lip. She takes my hand and I squeeze reassuringly. The wind flies around us and tousles my hair; it causes my bangs to become loose from my braid. The silence between us isn't awkward, it's actually comforting really.

"Oh my god, don't fall!" Someone says before pushing. My heart panics, thumping up into my ears as I gasp and stare at the jagged rocks at the bottom. Strong hands wrap around my wrists before I slip and then pulls me back to safety.

I turn and find Sinon smiling so arrogantly that I shove him back. "You're a jerk." I mumble at him and he laughs. Margo smiles and shakes her head at him. She slaps his arm before turning and heading towards our building.

"Awe, c'mon Norah. I just saved your life." He says as his smile grows wider. Sinon is arrogant and obnoxious, two traits that I lacked and usually found to be incredibly annoying, but that's what made Sinon actually incredibly attractive.

He, like most of the District Four residents who can trace their family lines to the natives here, has golden skin and muscled arms from his work on his father's boat. His hair is longish and curls behind his ears, when he works he has it tied back in a ponytail. It's almost as black as the night sky and it's wavy from the salt water. Sinon is the only son in his family, like Finnick is in mine, so he gets to stay in District Four.

Margo always points out that's it obvious that Sinon and I have sexual tension between us. It was true that I've liked him for many years, but we never acted on our feelings. Both of us believed that sweethearts weren't worth the heartache. It wasn't worth to fall in love with someone if you could never really be with them. He flashes me a crooked grin before throwing an arm over my shoulder. He was my first kiss. It was awkward and sloppy and incredibly embarrassing for both of us, from that though we have a sort of bond.

If it wasn't for Contracts I would probably end up marrying him.

We walk over to our group of friends. There's Margo, Sinon, Elise, her sweetheart Tommy, and Sinon's best friend Davey. Elise has her hair tied up in messy bun and her face is beet red from a sunburn. Her hand is wrapped tight around Tommy and she speaks in alow voice just to him.

Margo and I would probably never be friends with her if she wasn't with Tommy. Tommy was good friends with Sinon so we became friends with them by association. Elise is very quiet in timid, not in the same way I am but in a way where she seems stand-offish. She only really talks to Tommy.

Sweethearts aren't all that rare but it is rare to find a couple of sweethearts that are really in love with each other. Tommy and Elise are truly in love. A thought that makes my stomach twist in pain whenever I think about it. It's bad enough that we have to leave our families in a number of days but I can't imagine leaving the one person you're actually mean to be with because the Capitol said so.

It's not very rare that you fall in love with your contract partner either. Sometimes the Capitol does contract you to the person you can fall in love with. I've seen it happen, with my brother and Annie. The way he looks at her I can't help but wish my contract partner will look at me the same way.

"You have a sand crab in your hair." Sinon says before tugging at one of my loose locks. I slap his hand away and he smiles at me, lifting his shoulders. The girl that's going to be contracted to him is going to be very lucky.

The bell rings for the second time and we pile our way into the classroom. There are about twenty students in our class, all of us have been taught together for our whole school career. Our teacher, Mrs. Hanson, is a greying woman with wrinkly skin, a side effect from the hot sun beating down on her fair skin. She greets each of us with a smile, just like she has for the past twelve years.

I take my seat next to Margo at our table towards the back. Our names are carved into the wood, a permanent mark of us, so even when we're long gone and out of the Districts, a sort of part of us will remain. The classroom has been the same since my very first day when I was seven. The chalkboard is cracked up the middle and the roof leaks. This place is like a second home for me.

"Well first off I want to congratulate all of you on your wonderful test scores. I was surprised that most of you got such high marks." Mrs. Hanson says and Sinon and his friends all clap and holler loudly. Mrs. Hanson quiets them down with a wave off her arms.

"These packets that I am passing out will be your guides to the different Districts. Each page focuses on the Districts trade and what you will be expecting if you are contracted there." Mrs. Hanson says as the thick Capitol packets are passed down the desk rows.

I open the packet and first study the pictures. I admire the architecture in District Two and believe that the District Seven has the lushest forest. District Twelve is the only District in the packet that looks sad and grey, not a single splash of color is in the pictures. The whole area is dusted in black coal.

Mrs. Hanson goes over the most basic jobs of each District. She explains that many of us will be working in jobs that help the District's focus but some of us may become merchants or apothecaries, perhaps teachers. It really depended on the family we were contracted in.

I hope to be contracted to District Five or Two; those Districts are close to the coast. I read what each page has to say because any one of the Districts, except Four, can be my new home. I glance over at Margo and find her studying District Eleven with wide eyes and a slight smile on her face. I hoped it was everything she imagined it to be. I glance over at Elise and find her with her packet pushed all the way to the corner of her desk. She's staring at Tommy who studies the packet with wide eyes. He kind of looks eager and my heart hurts for my friend.

I turn and look at Sinon, knowing that he'll be happy. He is, he's sitting at his desk laughing at something his friends said. His head turns suddenly and he meets my gaze. It was like he knew I was looking at him. Sinon winks at me and nods his head, a small warm smile on his face. When he looks down to see the packet in my hand his smile falters a tad bit. I realize that even Sinon, one of the happiest people I know isn't a fan of Contract Day.

I close my packet and turn away from him quickly. I just wish people would accept Contract Day was happening because it would make it so much easier to say goodbye.

* * *

Happy New Year! My goal is to get this story finished by the end of July, especially since my best friend threatened to take my Taylor Lautner poster down if I didn't.

If someone wants to make a cover art for this story I would really appreciate it!

Also, let me know what you guys think. Do you guys like the remake? How about the characters?

Give me some feedback


	3. Chapter 3

I pace around the entire kitchen. I can feel Annie's wide green eyes following my every move, each time I go from one end of the kitchen to the other. I must have walked around this kitchen one hundred times in the past hour.

"Norah, just sit down. Walking a marathon isn't going to make the post come faster." Annie says with a small smile. I sigh and throw my head back before tuning to make my way back across the kitchen again.

"Sitting is just going to make me more nervous." I say and Annie chuckles before pulling out the chair next to her.

"Sit down Norah." She says and I sigh moving over to the wooden chair with the chipping white paint. She smiles and hands Finn over to me. I cuddle the baby in my hands and take a deep breath as Annie runs her hands through my hair before starting to french braid it.

Annie isn't crazy like many people assume she is. She's just off, Annie's actually a really great caring person and a fantastic mom. You just need to be careful with what you say to her, anything can set her off. One wrong word and Annie could go silent for a week.

"You shouldn't be so nervous anyways. I'm sure that you will be contracted to a fantastic husband." Annie says and I nod my head. She pulls at my hair a little too hard and I flinch, trying to get out of her grasp so that she doesn't pull out a chuck of my hair. That's all I needed to make Contract Day even more perfect, have a bald spot.

"Annie you're hurting me." I gasp out and my sister-in-law untangles her hand from my hair. Annie laughs uneasily but I can see the sorry in her eyes, she's sort of like a small child, sometimes she just can't help what she's doing.

Annie gets up from the table and separates herself from Finn and I. She's the one pacing now, trying to clear her mind of whatever bad thought is plaguing her mind at the moment. I stay silence, bouncing little Finn on my knee. The child looks up at me and I kiss the soft spot between his eyes. It's sad to think he won't really remember me.

"Annie." I say quietly and she looks over at me, biting her lip and trying to keep her hands from shaking. "Will you tell little Finn about me?"

Annie smiles and props herself up on the counter, still keeping her distance from us but the color in her face is coming back now. Her little episode is subsiding.

"Of course. You know that none of us are going to forget you, we all love you far too much to ever do that." Annie says and I smile looking down at my nephew again.

"Posts here!" Persi squeals from the front lawn. "Finnick give it back!" She screeches and I find my sister chasing my brother inside of the house trying to get the large Capital envelope back from him.

"It's not your letter!" He says with a laugh before running into the kitchen and holding it over her head, "Jump for it." He says with a teasing grin.

Persi does attempt to reach it but it's Annie who snatches it away from my brother. "It's not your letter either Finnick." She says before handing it out to me in trade for her son.

Finnick kisses Annie lightly on her cheek and then presses a kiss to the top of little Finn's head. I watch them carefully and sigh, you could see the love between them. I could only hope that would happen for me. It's a rare thing to be contracted to the person that you're supposed to be with, but my brother and Annie gave me hope. Perhaps my contract partner will look at me the same way.

Finnick turns his attention back to me and I smile smugly at my siblings as I hug the envelope close to my body just in case one of them tries to take it from me. They take their seats around the table, all of their eyes focusing on me and me alone. They look at me like I might disappear before their very eyes.

"I'll go get mama and dad!" Persi says before disappearing out the back door.

I run my hand over the Capitol seal and take a deep steady breath. This is it. Inside of this envelope is my top three matches, one of them will be my husband. I bite my lip and wait patiently for my parents to come inside with Persi. I feel like everyone is moving in slow motion, the feeling making me even more nervous. I begin to chew on my fingernails, gnawing them down until their short and jagged.

"Norah." My mother reprimands before slapping my hand away from my mouth, "I thought we broke that habit when your father put pepper under your nails. Don't think we won't do it again." She says in warning and I smile sheepishly, pulling my hand away from my mouth.

Persi jumps into the chair next to me and makes a face at me, "Well go on." She nudges me with her elbow, my small sister is more excited than I am, "Open it."

"I'm nervous." I say before showing my family my shaking hands, "Can you rip the seal for me?" I ask Persi and she nods snatching the envelope off the table before Finnick can even have a chance to make a grab for it. The seal tears with a loud rip and my sister slips her hand inside, pulling the contents out.

Persi lays each pictue and bio of my possible matches face down on the table, "I think you should flip them over." Persi says to me and I bite my lip looking at her, suddenly feeling like a small child.

"Come on Norah, what's the worst that can happen?" My father says and Finnick snorts next to him.

"The guy could be ugly." Finnick says and Persi smiles at him, a tiny giggle escaping her lips.

"Now I'm pretty sure I raised you kids to know that looks aren't everything." My mother scolds and Finnick lifts his shoulders with a grin.

"Sorry Ma." He says before looking at me, "We don't have all day Norah."

I nod my head in agreement and take a deep breath. My eyes fall on my mother and she nods her head encouragingly. When I was little she used to say, "Honeybee, all you need is five seconds of courage to make some of the biggest decisions of your life. You may regret those decisions later, but at least you know you were capable of doing it."

I take a deep breath and flip over the first picture and bio. The first boy is Marvel Anderson of District One. We have a compatibility rate of 78%. I tilt my head at his picture, my eyes skirting over his features. He isn't the most attractive and I can't help but compare him to Sinon. My eyes pointing out everything that Marvel is not.

"He's a shop owner." I say and my mother claps her hands together at the thought of me being married to a merchant.

"He looks dull, you probably wouldn't be happy with him." Annie points out and I can't help but laugh at how easily Annie can speak her mind. She has no filter when around the family, it's kind of refreshing unless her critical remarks are pointed at you.

I push the boy from District One back into the envelope and flip over the next paper.

"Cato Barlow, District Two." Persi reads out loud to the table and I bite my lip. My eyes skirt over his picture and I can easily tell that he's cold and heartless.

The sharpness of his icy blue eyes gives it away easily. He smirks at the camera instead of smiling like most. I swallow and look up at my family, "Compatibility 87%" I say and Persi touches my shoulder easily, she can feel my uneasiness.

Cato and I have a high compatibility rate, so there isn't a doubt in my mind that he'll be my husband. I do't even want to flip over the other picture because I'm almost positive that it won't beat a compatibility rate of 87%

"He's a military official." Finnick says after he snatches the paper out of my hand to read it himself. My father grunts in distaste and Finnick's eyes narrow at Cato's picture.

My father and brother can't stand those who work for the military because it usually means that they side with the Capital and everything they stand for. My mother puts a hand on my fathers arm, "Don't ruin this for Norah." She whispers and my father grunts again.

"Finnick." Annie warns as well but my brother continues to glare at the picture, like he was thinking of all the ways he could hurt this boy.

"Maybe he won't be so bad." Persi says trying to ease the tension and my brother rolls his eyes handing me the paper with a thrust of his arm. I quickly shove it into the envelope and look at my brother.

He's the definition of protective brother and I know this whole process is killing him, especially knowing that I might be contracted to a person who might hurt me. I've seen first hand what Finnick can do to a boy that ends up hurting me. Sinon has had plenty of run-ins with my brother because of the constant teasing that Sinon put me through. He usually would just threaten Sinon, he only actually hit him one time and that was after I came home with a fishing hook stuck in my scalp. It had been an accident of course and Sinon apologized profusely, but Finnick gave him a black eye for it. Thinking about it now I'm surprised Sinon didn't stay away from me after that, but he's stubborn and a lot like Finnick. Perhaps that's why my brother wanted me to stay away from him.

I smile at my brother and then flip over the last picture. I swallow studying the image. The boy, or rather man, is what my sister Kassi would call tall, dark, and handsome. Gale Hawthorne of District Twelve stares back up at me with a crooked smile and grey eyes the same color of clouds after a storm. He has black hair like Sinon, but his is more of an inky black, the kind where if the light hits it right his hair will shine with a blue tint.

His face is placid, like he'd much rather be doing a million of other things, "Compatibility 93%" I whisper in awe and my mother's mouth drops.

Persi acts like she's fainted and I chuckle at her, my eyes only lifting away from the picture for a mere few seconds before my eyes fall back on him again. "I think you have a little drool." Finnick says before reaching over to wipe my chin.

I slap his hand away and instead he grabs the paper from me. "He's a coal miner, demolitions expert to be exact. Which means he'll probably blow himself and leave my sister with a burden of four children."

I snatch the paper from his hand and glare at him. "Finnick," my mother gasps, "I don't know why you're acting so terrible. This should be a happy time for your sister."

"A happy time Ma?" Finnick says with a dark sarcastic laugh, "There taking a family member away from us. Why should we be happy? I'm never going to see my sister and your never going to see your daughter again. If you ask me we should start fighting for our rights, let us marry whoever we want." Finnick says standing up and slamming his fist on the table. My mother nods his head in agreement.

"You're really going to tell me that you're happy with this Tanya? Our daughters being taken from us?" My dad asks and looks torn.

I stand up, upset by their treasonous words. I gather together my mail and stomp my way down the hallway into my room. I make sure to slam my door for added effect. I toss my mail onto the dresser and lock the door so that no one will bother me, not that I'm going to stay here. I slip out my bedroom window and land on the soft lawn in our front yard. The way the kitchen window is positioned my family won't be able to see me leave.

Sinon's house is closest to mine, so I decide to see what he's up to. The sun is just starting to set in our small District and I look up at the sky to watch the swirling colors. Sinon's house is at the end of the neighborhood, he lives in a small green house with a white trim.

Sinon is outside playing with his two younger sisters. He has one tossed over his shoulder and he's spinning her around. She screams with shrill laughter and I smile watching the scene. Sinon is going to be a great husband and father, the thought is like a blow to my stomach and I clear my voice.

"Hey Norah." Sinon says before jogging across his yard to unlock the gate for me. His sister bounces across his shoulders and her sweet laugh bubbles out of her.

"Hi Sinon." I say as I step into his yard. He frowns and places his little sister onto the soft grass. His eyes soften and he tilts his head at me, like he can tell what's wrong with me by studying me.

"Sarah, go play with Connie." Sinon says and the little girl nods before wrapping her skinny arms around my leg in greeting. I smile half heartedly at her and pat the top of her head.

When the girls run off Sinon brushes a loose piece of my hair from my face. His touch is gentle and even though I know it's supposed to make me feel better, it makes me feel worse. I pull away from him and try to blink back my tears.

"What's wrong?" He asks quietly and I shake my head. "Come on." He says before taking my hand into his and bringing me inside of his house. His mother is working around the kitchen and when she see's me she smiles.

"Hello Norah, dear." She says and I put on a fake smile. "Did you get your matches?"

"Oh, yes. I'll probably be contracted to a boy in District Twelve." I say and her grin widens.

"I'm from District Twelve," she says and her eyes go someplace far away, remembering her home. "Tell me, is the boy a coal miner?"

"Yes." I say and Sinon's mother smiles knowingly.

"He'll be the best husband. Men from the Seam know how to care for their families. I wouldn't worry about it all." Sinon's mother says and Sinon tenses next to me. Was he jealous?

"What about you?" I ask Sinon as he pulls me into his bedroom. It's messy and Sinon has to push a pile of clothes off his bed so that I can sit down.

"Some blonde girl from District One." He says before reaching for the envelope. He pulls out her photo and I smile looking down at how beautiful she is.

"She's gorgeous." I say with a smile and Sinon agree's with a small smile.

"So what's the matter Norah?" Sinon says as he gets up to open his window. The sea air hits us instantly and I take a deep breath.

"Just everything about this whole process. My brother just, I don't know he was talking like he wanted to start a rebellion." I say and Sinon makes a face looking out the window.

From his room you can see the ocean, but it's a different ocean then the one I can see from my room. This is the wild ocean, the ocean the Capital keeps us away from. The one that's out of District boundaries. I used to dream about escaping to that place but now that dream just seems like a death wish.

"You know I used to wish that I could swim under the fence and just keep swimming, run away from everything." I whisper quietly and Sinon nods his head in agreement.

"That's a very treasonous thought for you." Sinon says with a chuckle and I smile. He was right, maybe I am a little like my father and brother.

"You know how every year, there's a pair of sweethearts that runaway?" He asks, still looking out the window and I nod my head even though he's not looking at me, "Do you think any of them ever made it? Or do you think they were all caught and turned into Avoxes?"

"I like to think that some of them made it out, but I doubt it. The Capital probably got to them before they made it five miles." I say and Sinon sighs.

"Maybe he's right though." Sinon says looking at me, "You're brother, I mean if we rebelled, if all the Districts stood up together, then we would be able to marry whoever we wanted, whenever we wanted."

"This is our duty to the Capital." I say and Sinon frowns sitting in front of me. He touches my face gently and brushes away the tears that I hadn't realized had fallen down my face. "Thinking this way is dangerous and I wish everyone would just accept the fact that a Rebellion isn't happening and Contract Day is. There's nothing we can do about it, our fate is set now."

"Why did you come here to talk about this?" Sinon asks quietly but I can tell he's angry, "Why come to me if you don't like anything I'm going to say?"

"I don't know." I admit and he frowns. "I just hoped you would act like you always do. Happy, and looking forward to whatever is going to happen in the future."

"I can't be happy about this, but I'll pretend if it makes you feel better." He says with a grin and I laugh, nodding my head.

We sit in his room for a few hours, talking about random things. He could make me laugh and my anger at my brother from earlier melts away each time Sinon makes me smile. He seems distant though, like now that we have our three matches we are no longer the same people.

Sinon walks me home and he makes no attempt to place his arm over my shoulder or hold my hand. Our feelings for each other were too much to handle sometimes, we wanted to act on them but we couldn't, especially now that we've seen the faces of our potential spouses.

"Norah?" Sinon says before I climb back into the house through my window. The bedroom door is still locked and closed, my family probably thought I had fallen asleep.

I turn to look at him and he presses his soft lips to mine. The kiss aches in my chest and even though I want to, I can't kiss him back. "If you asked," Sinon says after he pulls away, "I would run away with you."

I swallow and climb in through my window feeling the tears finally sliding down my face. I don't watch him walk away I just close the drapes on m window and let out a strangled sob into my hand. I push the papers off my dresser and flop onto my bed, burying my face into my pillow.

I don't understand how Kassi made this look so easy. My older sister had barely cried the weeks before leading up to Contract Day, my sister actually seemed happy. Kassi always reminded me that this is our duty to the Capital, she said it so much that Finnick would tell me afterwards that that way of thinking is disgusting. He told me that the Capital wasn't always right and that I needed to think for myself.

I believed Kassi though and adopted her way of thinking instead of Finnick's. As long as I followed the Capital's rules than I wouldn't get hurt.

A/N:

Thanks for all the great feedback you guys! I really appreciate it. I hope you like this chapter.

Let me know what you think!


	4. Chapter 4

"It's strange to think that we'll be leaving in three days' time." Margo says as she violently scratches off a barnacle. I cringe at the chipped paint, but Margo doesn't seem to care. She didn't even want to come to work today since we would only be receiving about a quarter of our paycheck since we won't be finishing the week.

"It's strange to think that we'll find out who our final match is today." I say and Margo nods her head in agreement. She looks excited at this thought though. I know my best friend is excited about leaving.

"I hope my husband is strong and handsome. I want him to be tall and mysterious." Margo says dreamily and I laugh even though I know she's completely serious. Margo has always wanted to be married to someone attractive, she could care less about his personality. It's kind of shallow of Margo, but my best friend really isn't that shallow. I know she'll end up loving her husdand no matter how he turns out.

"I think you need to add patient to that list." I say to Margo and she sticks her tongue out at me. It's a very childish move but I never said Margo was mature for her age.

"And what do you want your husband to be like?" Margo asks and I bite my lip as I think about it. My lips are chapped and a little sunburnt from the sun. I was going to have to remember to apply some lip balm when I got home tonight.

"All I want is for him to be family oriented and a hard worker. I don't care what he looks like as long as he can genuinely love and provide for his family." I say and Margo sticks her tongue out again.

"I detect major bull." Margo says, "I know you want him to be like Sinon." She says this mockingly and I retaliate by snapping my towel at her thigh.

"Sinon is far too immature and obnoxious for my taste." I say even though it's a lie and Margo knows it's a lie. Her eyes become sad and understanding for a moment.

The work bells rings and Margo tosses her towel into her bucket. We hurry away from the docks, both of us rubbing our sore shoulders. My back always hurts after work and I feel like my spine is protruding out. I rub the bottom and stretch out. In three days I won't be working on the docks anymore, the one plus of leaving home.

"Look, its Elise." Margo says before lifting her finger and pointing to our blonde friend. Elise stands awkwardly waiting for us. I frown and I realize that there's a glittery trail of tears falling down her face. "Doesn't she usually walk with Tommy?"

"Yes, but don't you see her tears? They must have called it off." I say and Margo's eyes widen in surprise."

"I thought for sure that they would be the idiot couple to runaway together." Margo says and I roll my eyes.

"Try not to be so insensitive to Elise's face." I say and Margo sighs but agrees with.

"Hi, Elli." I say carefully but she doesn't smile. She breaks down into tears and hugs me awkwardly for comfort. I stiffen at the touch and try to console like my mother does for Persi. I rub my hand in circle on her back but she only cries harder. "There, there, it's going to be ok."

"No it's not." She sobs and I shoot Margo a pleading look to help me.

"You knew it was going to happen sooner or later Elise." Margo says and I shoot her another look, I shouldn't have asked her for help with this. "I don't see the point of crying over him."

"Margo!" I hiss when Elise sobs even harder, "Come on Elli, we need to go to school."

We walk slowly with Elise crying, Margo grumbling in annoyance, and me trying not to think of the final matches being delivered in the school house. I sneak a glance at Margo and we meet eyes. She rolls her dramatically and I don't blame her for being annoyed with Elise. I also don't blame Elise for being upset. I just needed to stay neutral with the whole situation.

When we finally make it to the school house everyone in our class is already inside. The Capitol officials are standing at the front of the class with a pile of large full envelopes at their sides. Margo eyes them greedily and I nudge her to her seat before passing the Capitol officials with a smile. Elise stumbles into her seat and places her head on her desk not looking up at anyone.

The sight of the yellow envelopes causes nerves to flap in my stomach. The feeling reminds me of butterflies flapping around and tickling my skin, underneath the table Margo takes my hand and squeezes it. As excited as she is, she's nervous too.

"Hello dears! I'm Maerzellete and this is my husband Claudius." Maerzellete says with a grin. She has ice colored hair and purple eyes making her look almost normal to her husband who's skin is dyed a deep yellow to match his artificial gold eyes. The Capitol citizens are the only people in Panem who don't have to participate in being contracted, they get to choose who they marry.

"As you all know, the Match Ceremony is this evening." I suck in a deep breath. I had completely forgotten about the Match Ceremony. It happens every year on the same day so I don't know how I could have forgotten it, but I did ad now I feel like an idiot.

The Match Ceremony is when you and you contract partner are announced to the whole nation. The Capitol times it perfectly so that you and your contract partner are showed on the screen at the same time. Of course we already know who were being contracted too beforehand but we aren't allowed to tell anyone until the Match Ceremony.

"But the Capitol wants you to know who your contract partner is beforehand. We will call you into your teacher's office" which is really just an oversized broom closet, "one by one in alphabetical to present you with your contract partner and your new employment in your new home District." Claudius says with a clippy Capitol accent.

"Once you receive your Contract you are required to return home to get ready for the Match Ceremony which starts at five o'clock sharp." Maerzellete adds before clasping her hands together in excitement. "The first up is Nathaniel Albain."

One by one my classmates rise and head into the backroom. They are inside for almost three minutes each until they comeback out squeezing their envelopes to their chests and smiling or holding their envelopes to their sides and trying not to cry.

Sinon has just left the room and passes Margo who is entering. They touch hands reassuringly and Sinon meets my eyes and smiles. He nods his head and I know that he's conforming that he is contracted to the girl from District One. I didn't have a doubt in my mind, she was his highest match. I shift in my seat uncomfortably, suddenly feeling apprehensive at the fact that my best friend was no longer at my side.

Elise is called up a few after Margo, but she refuses to move. Her head stays on the table and for a second I think she's fallen asleep. They call her again and she lifts her head slowly, her eyes not glancing anywhere but the floor. She won't go into the room though and I can tell the Capitol officials are becoming annoyed. "Just go inside Elise." I whisper quietly even though I know she can't hear me, please go inside."

"I refuse to be contracted. I will not participate." Elise says strongly and I bite my lip. The air in the room suddenly seems tense and I'm afraid to breath.

"Elise." Maerzellete says calmly but I can tell she's gritting her teeth. My hands become clammy and I wipe them on my dress watching the scene play out in front of me.

Elise looks at everyone that's still in the classroom. All of us look forward trying not to make eye contact with her in fear that we will be seen as treasonous as well. My eyes glance at Tommy who's looking down at his feet. Even he won't sell himself out for the girl he supposedly loved.

"I will not marry a man I do not love and I will not leave my District to join one I do not know. This is my life and I have every right to live it the way I please." She spats as Maerzellete. She snatches the envelope from Claudius's hand, who has appeared at the office doorway.

She rips the envelope in half and I cringe. Elise then stomps out of the room without a word more. Her eyes desperately search the room for anyone who agrees with her but we all stay silent, holding our breaths for the episode to be over. Elise storms out and I let out my breath my eyes falling on the Capitol official. Maerzellete's lips are pursed and her eyes narrow at the ripped envelope on the floor.

"There's always one." She sighs before pulling out a small walkie-talkie from her back pocket. "Please send the Peacekeepers out to search for an Elise Nulling's." I shiver with a sense of fear and tangle my hands into the tips of my hair.

"Norah Odair." Claudius calls and I rise slowly. He smiles at me reassuringly before leading me into the office. I sit in the chair across from him and try not to seem nervous.

"Norah Rochelle Odair of District Four?" He asks and I nod my head, "Could you please state your address?"

"House number 159 North Shore." I say and Claudius nods his head.

"Good, good." He says before handing me a stack of paperwork. "Now, please sign here and here. These documents are your marriage contracts, as you can see your contract partner Gale has already signed."

"So I'm contracted to Gale?" I ask, trying not to sound too relieved.

"Oh silly me, I should have shown you your contract partner first." Claudius says with a laugh, "Yes, your contract partner is Mr. Gale Hawthorne making you Mrs. Norah Hawthorne after the Match Ceremony tonight."

I nod my head and sing my name with loopy scrawl. I pride myself with my signature, it's very hard for other's to replicate. I hand the papers to Claudius and he hands me the large envelope. I smile and rip open the seam. The first paper is exactly like bio I received when I got my possible matches. It's all about Gale and his job. The next paper is about my new family. I'm going to have two brother-in-laws and a sister-in-law who still live at District Twelve. They're all quite young and I feel strange calling them in law's. My mother-in-law has the same dark tones as Gale and I smile at how soft her eyes are. She resembled my mother in way that already made me homesick. The last paper is my job description. I'm a laundress, working under my mother-in-law. The pay isn't that good and I wonder if my family will even have enough to survive as I calculate the cost of living in my head.

"Thank you Claudius." I say and he nods in head towards me.

"All in a day's work Mrs. Hawthorne." He answers and I feel my smile falter at the use of my new last name.

I almost feel like running home, but I don't. I just walk quickly feeling my legs burn with the speed. I arrive into Town Square soon, my hands gripping the envelope like a life line. There's a crowd in the middle of Town Square and someone screaming. I hurry to the crowd and Persi runs into me. She has tears in her eyes and I do the only thing I can think of to comfort her, scoop her up in my arms. She buries her face in the space between my neck and shoulder and wraps her legs around my midsection.

"It's Elise." She whispers and I get myself to push into the crowd. Elise is in the hand of two Peacekeepers and her mother is screaming, begging for them to let her go.

"Miss Nulling, you have a choice. Either proceed onwards with your contract or become an Avox for the Capitol." The Peacekeeper drones and my sister wraps her arms around me tightly. I should leave, but I can't seem to get my feet to move.

"And if I choose neither?" Elise asks and the Peacekeeper's hardened face turns into a dark smile.

"Instant death." He answers and Elise's mom screams in a horrific way that makes my blood turn to ice.

"Well, I pick the third option." Elise answers and I drop my sister. She luckily lands on her feet; I pull her close to me, burying her face into my stomach so that she will not be able to see what happens. I cover her ears with her hands and then put my envelope into my bag and cover her hands with mine.

"Elise, please!" Her mother screams and I try to tear my eyes away but I can't. I can't even get myself to move my sister away from everything. I'm stuck, my feet glued to the ground as I watch helplessly from the sidelines.

"I'm sorry. I love you." Elise says as the Peacekeeper presses the gun to the back of her head. Elise's eyes land on me and I bite my lip to keep it from quivering, "Be brave." She says before the bullet rips through her skull.

Elise's mother screams and my sister lets out a sob. The Town Square is in an uproar and I scoop up my sister, pushing my way through the crowd to make in home. Persi sobs out of fear but I can't say anything to calm her down at the moment. The thought of the bullet is too much for me to bear right now, so I can't form any words.

We make it onto our street but I don't put Persi down until we're in the safety of our house. My mother hurries to us and I hand her Persi. My hands are shaking and my legs feel like gelatin. I collapse onto the floor trying to catch my breath.

I feel hands wrap around my shoulders and I look up to find my brother. For once he doesn't smell like fish and saltwater and I know it's because he's actually really taken the time to smell nice for the Matching Ceremony that's only in three hours. "What happened? Tell me what happened?"

"Elise, killed by Pea- peacekeepers, she refused to take part in Contract process. So-so they gave her a choice and she-she picked to die." I say with a sob and Finnick pulls me into his arms. The feeling reminds me of when we were children and I fell off a cart, breaking my arm. Kassi ran home to get my mom but Finnick stayed to comfort me, he held me the same way he does now.

"You're going to be ok." Finnick says quietly and I try to contain my sobs by taking deep breaths. "Look at me, as long as you weren't apart of anything you're going to be ok. You just can't think about her, you have to go to the Match Ceremony in three hours and you need to look like everything is ok."

I nod my head and he helps me up. Annie rushes over to me and takes my hand, "Come on, while your bath water is still warm."

Annie washes my hair, she untangles it and combs her fingers through it softly. She hums a small little lullaby, the same one she hums little Finn when he's crying. I'm finally able to relax enough that I'm not longer sobbing or shaking.

My mother and Persi come in to help me dress. Persi is bright eyed again and I know that Finnick helped her feel better, me keeping her ears covered and eyes away from the sight probably helped since she can't picture the scene in her mind. "I want to talk to my daughter." My mother says as she helps me slip into a light blue dress, it's the same color as a cloudless sky.

"Norah, I expect that next time if you are ever in a situation like that you'll think. You not only put yourself in danger to witnessing that but your little sister as well." My mother scolds as she braids my hair down my back. I take a deep quivering breath and meet her eyes in the mirror.

"I –I just couldn't move. She just seemed so desperate and I couldn't move. I wasn't thinking and I'm sorry." I say, my mother smooth's down her own hair before helping me to my feet to get a final look at me.

"There's going to be a time when you're a mother and you're going to understand where I'm coming from." My mom says and I smile at her when she nods in approval at me appearance.

"I already understand where you're coming from mama." I say and she shakes her head.

"Protecting a daughter is different than protecting a sister." My mother says before pressing a kiss to my forehead, "Now come, we don't want to be late."

The Match Ceremony is always very long when you're waiting for your name to be called up to the stage. It's mandatory to attend so the whole District piles into the square. I try not to look at the spot where Elise has been shot. The Peacekeeper's already cleaned it up so it doesn't look like anything had happened in that spot just three hours later.

I don't understand how they time the Match Ceremony just perfect but they do. When your name is called in your District your contract partners name is called in their District at the same time. You both make it to the stage and the screen shows your contract partner. The Capitol loves the contracts reactions. They're favorite is when the people bread down in tears or they smile in some flirty way. I didn't know how I was going to react.

I can't pay attention during the Match Ceremony, so I miss Margo and Sinon being called up. My mind keeps floating back to earlier, when Elise told me to be brave. Why would she tell me that? Why did I have to be brave? I begin to chew my nails trying to think of anything but the bullet and the terrible noise her skull made when the bullet bit through.

I almost miss my name being called. Juliet Pratchet nudges me with her elbow and I snap out of my daze, pushing my feet to walk faster to make up the lost seconds I had missed. I don't want to be the one who delayed the Ceremony.

Claudius escorts me up the steps and I take my place facing the screen. I take a deep breath and place my hands behind my back. I pray that my braid held and that my hair doesn't look as wild as it really is. I smooth out my dress and when my eyes flash back to the screen Gale appears. He stands tall with his arms over his chest. His eyes are as grey as they were in the picture and he smiles just a little bit. It's not even a smile really, the corners of his mouth just turn up the slightest. I smile at him almost shyly, in his picture he was handsome but here live on the screen I couldn't believe how attractive he really is.

He nods his head to me and I look away shyly before looking back at him. The corners of his mouth lift even more and I give him a slight wave before the screen turns black and I'm ushered off stage. My family stands a little ways to the left and Finnick gives me a thumb up. I knew that as long as I wasn't contracted to the military official he would be happy. At the end of the ceremony when every couple has been announced to the Capitol and the Districts we bow our heads and recite the promise to our nation. We promise Panem that we will thrive and our country will continue to grow, that we will rise from the ashes that almost destroyed us the first time. We promise to survive.

We walk home in a small chatter, Finnick and Annie parting with us to go back to their house which is really just behind ours. You can cross over the fence in our backyard and end up in theirs. I decide to go to bed right away, Persi follows close behind. She unbraids and then re-braids my hair and I do the same for her.

She snuggles up next to me and we lay facing each other. "I'm sorry I didn't pull you away today." I whisper to her and she takes my hand.

"It's ok. She was your friend. Besides I've seen worse." Persi says before squeezing my hand, I know she's talking about the factory accidents. She's witnessed countless, including a boy's arm be ripped off. I shudder at thought of my sister seeing something so terrible; at least I was able to blind her from seeing Elise become shot. "Your contract partner is so handsome. I'm going to have the most beautiful nieces and nephews."

I smile, feeling guilty that she'll never get to see them. "You know they're going to love you. They may not know you but I'll tell them about you and they'll love you as much as I do." I say and she laughs.

"Do you think my husband will be that handsome?" Persi asks and I smile at her.

"I don't know Persi, but I'll be looking forward to your Matching Ceremony, so I can see you again." I say and she nods her head.

"I love you Norah." She whispers before closing her eyes and drifting off.

"I love you too." I say before closing my own eyes. I don't fall asleep right way but I do think about Elise. She wanted to die, her own small rebellion against the Capitol that they can't control everything that happens to their citizens.

_Be brave,_ repeats in my mind until I fall asleep.

* * *

A lot happens in this chapter. I hope it doesn't seem too rushed.

I got a PM asking how Norah looks since the reader had a hard time picturing her. Norah has red hair kind of like Merida from the Pixar movie Brave. it's just as unruly as that and the same color. She's small but not petite and her eyes are brown.

But feel free to picture Norah the way you want.

Let me know what you guys thought in this chapter in a review!


	5. Chapter 5

The last time I woke up in the middle of a night from a nightmare was when I was ten and it was just after I was bite by a stray dog that was on the docks. In my dreams the dog had glowing red eyes and stood almost four feet tall on all four legs. The dog also had rows of sharp teeth, like the occasional shark we spot while out on the ocean. Although, in reality the dog was like every other stray dog, terrified, skinny, and just trying to survive. It only bite me because I had got to close to her puppies.

I wake up now though because I had another nightmare. This time though I'm not scared of a dog with glowing red eyes but of what the future holds. That is more terrifying for me than any dog.

This is the last night in my bed, next to my little sister and in the bedroom that I've stayed in since I was born. The thought makes me cry and I have to cover my mouth with my hand to keep the gasping sob from escaping me. I crawl out of bed, careful not to wake Persi and stare at my packed suitcase that is next to our closet. I kick it over before grabbing the old striped swimsuit, that I won't be taking, out of the dresser and slipping out the bedroom window.

The clothesline out front flaps in the wind and I take down an old towel, not caring that it's actually really a rag my father and Finnick use on the boat. It's almost three in the morning, but I needed to get out of here. I feel like I'm suffocating if I stay inside a second longer.

Even though it's way past District curfew I head for the Coves. It's this small secluded area that's covered by a cave. The water is calmer in their but it's also colder too. My bare feet pat down the dirt path and with each step I squish my toes deeper into the cool ground. The District is silent tonight, the families that have children leaving tomorrow morning have little teal ribbons tied on their fences. It's meant to symbolize goodbye, but it just feels like a bigger slap in the face for me.

Unsurprisingly, there aren't any Peacekeepers milling around the Coves. They tended to stay away from here because of the sneaker waves that wash the occasional one away. The Peacekeepers didn't grow up here so they were clueless as to how to act around the ocean.

I hurry into the Cove and dive perfectly into the water. I'm almost positive that there was barely any splash. My dives are almost perfect, it drives Finnick insane. I stay under the surface for a while, holding my breath for as long as I can. My lungs scream for air but I stay down until the absolute last second. I resurface gasping for air. I take the biggest breath of my life and go back underneath, letting the water envelope me.

In the safety of the water I scream, knowing that no one will be able to hear me. I scream and thrash around letting out all of my frustrations that I've been feeling in the past days. I'm terrified and I don't want to leave, but I have too and it isn't fair. I feel like a child throwing a tantrum and when I resurface for air again I hang onto a rock and let out a sob. It echoes through the cave but I feel better now, like the tightness in my chest has been lifted.

I swim laps until my arms and mind are so tired that I feel exhausted. It's almost sunrise now and I need to get home before my family or the Peacekeepers find that I'm gone. The walk home is not nearly as peaceful as the walk there but that's because the families that don't have children leaving today have to go work still.

I slip in through the bedroom window and find Persi still sleeping. She's wrapped up in the blankets in laying in such a way that I'm sure she's going to fall off the bed if she rolls to the left anymore. I smile and feel my stomach lurch. How could I leave my little sister? I don't wasn't to miss anything that happens in her life. I want to know who she's going marry and that her husband will love her. I want to make sure that she's safe. Sure in four years I'll see her on the screen in District Twelve during the Match Ceremony, but that won't be enough.

I change back into my night gown and crawl back into bed with Persi. We get to sleep in today since the families who have a child leaving don't have to go to work today and I don't have to check in at the train station until noon. I wrap my arm around Persi and kiss her temple. She wakes a little but falls back to sleep instantly, she snuggles into me and I lay my head down on her pillow. Sleep comes easier.

"It's time to get up!" Finnick yells at the bedroom door. I flip over quickly, taking the pillow with me and cover my head with it. I feel like I just went back to sleep but from the light coming in through the window I can tell it's mid-morning.

Finnick walks into the room and jumps onto the bed. The bed shakes and he laughs loudly, "Persi why are you on the floor?"

"Norah pushed me off." Persi grumbles from the floor and Finnick laughs again. I smile a little and Finnick begins to poke me.

He presses the pillow hard into my face to smother me and I groan trying to fight him away from me, but he's stronger so he's able to keep the pillow on my face. "Finnick knock it off, you're going to suffocate her."

"No she's fine, she can hold her breath for almost four minutes." Finnick answers with a chuckle. I hear Persi groan and then the pressure from the pillow is lifted and I hear a loud thud on the other side of the bed. I sit up and look over at Persi and Finnick wrestling, she must have tackled him off the bed.

They're laughing and I close my eyes in an attempt to commit the sound to memory. When I look at them again they're staring at me, sitting next to each other on the floor with their arms wrapped around their legs and their knees tucked into their chests.

"You ok little sis?" Finnick asks and I nod my head.

"I just want to remember." I admit and Finnick nods his head. He begins to say something but my mother walks in and ushers him out.

"I've got to get her ready Finnick, we're all ready behind schedule. I need you and Persi to head into town and pick up a few things." My mom says as she slips a piece of paper into his hands

"Pick up what?" Finnick asks, looking down at the paper in his hands.

"Finnick, Persi, go." My mother says and Finnick laughs, scooping Persi up so that she can ride on his back.

"What do thay have to pick up from town?" I ask and my mother looks at me, her eyes widening just a bit.

"They need to pick up a part for your father's boat. Now, will you get up? There's a bath waiting for you and I'm sure you don't want to sit in freezing water." My mom says and I sigh feeling awkward that I get to take a warm bath when the rest of my family doesn't.

In a very short hour my mother and Annie transform me from an awkward teenager with sunburnt cheeks and a peeling nose to someone beautiful. I looked like an adult now with my hair untangled and brushed out and my face covered with makeup. The liner around my eyes makes them seem more almond shaped instead of wide.

I look unrecognizable in the mirror and I study myself for a while until I can find myself. When my mother places my woven hat on top of my head, it's easier to find me. The hat makes me look younger and more like a terrified teenager.

I walk into the living room and my father smiles, standing up. "You look beautiful Norah Rochelle." I smile and hug him tightly. He stills smells like salt water and fish, I think by now the scent is just permanent on him. I begin to tear up and my father takes my chin and forces me to look up at him.

"Always remember where you came from and that all of us will always love you." I nod my head and in a lower voice so that only I can hear he says, "I need you to be very careful, things here have been stirring up with riots and strikes. The peacekeepers have been able to contain them and keep it quiet but it's just a matter of time Norah. I don't know how things will be in your new District, but I need you to be careful."

I nod my head and my father presses a kiss to my forehead. I look at the rest of my family and smile sheepishly at them. I clutch my suitcase ad follow my father out the door. My parents walk in front of us with their arms linked and Finnick and Annie walk together with their hands intertwined and their son in Annie's other arm. I squeeze Persi's hand and she looks up at me with a very big brave, but forced smile.

Finnick looks back at us and Annie lets go of his hand, nudging him towards us. Finnick walks over to us slowly and take my suitcase from my hands. He squeezes my shoulder and says, "You're as pale as a ghost. You should have tanned a little before you had to leave."

I smile at him, but his joke doesn't help with my nerves.

The train station is crowded with families and Peacekeepers. My family goes to wait with the rest of the families and I stand in line to check in. I notice Margo up at the front of the line. She's talking to a Peacekeeper and actually manages to get him to smile. I shake my head at me friend, a smile playing at me lips. It's honestly quite difficult for people not to enjoy Margo's company.

The line moves quickly and I'm thankful because the more time I spend in this line the less time I get to say goodbye to my family. When I reach the Peacekeeper at the table, the stony faced woman pricks my finger. I flinch as she stamps my bloodied finger to the paper. I suck on my finger to get it to stop bleeding as she makes sure the necessary paperwork is all in order. I know it is because I triple checked it.

The stony face woman puts a marriage certificate in front of me. Gale has already signed, his signature is small and almost like chicken scratch. I take a deep breath and sign my name next to his. My signature is large and loopy compared to him. I feel like I'm signing my life away.

"You can return to your family now." The Peacekeeper says and I nod my head. I'm no longer Norah Rochelle Odair, and instead I'm Norah Rochelle Hawthorne.

I find my family on the platform quickly. The train has just pulled up and the people moving into our District are starting to step off. I watch them wide eyed and wonder what they must be feeling. My eyes land on a blonde with shimmery hair and emerald eyes. She joins Sinon's family and it's like a kick in the gut.

Sinon presses a kiss to her cheek and takes her suitcase from her. She smiles at him and I roll my eyes slightly at how striking of a pair they are. Sinon looks past his wife and meets my eyes, he smiles at me sadly before nodding his head in a goodbye. I smile back and turn away from him forever.

Now that I'm facing in a new direction I find Tommy, Elise's sweetheart. He greets his new wife, a tiny redhead, with a frown. He doesn't say hi, or smile at her once. Tommy doesn't even take the poor girls bag and I can't help but feel bad for her, she looks like she's going to burst into tears. I hope that Tommy learns to love her.

"Norah." My mother says, pulling my attention back to my family. She forces a smile and gives me a big hug, the kind that is so comforting and warm that I never want her to let go. I kiss my mom's soft cheek and she pulls away too soon. "I love you Honeybee."

She clasps a gold necklace with a gold starfish to my neck and I smile at her. "So you always remember home." She says and I smile nodding my head and hugging her again, trying to fight back the tears.

"This is what you wanted Finnick to pick up from town huh?" I say because I don't want to say goodbye or tells her that I'm going to miss her so much I feel like I might die of heartbreak.

"Nothing gets past you Norah." My mother says with a warm smile and I turn towards Annie. She takes my hand and two pointy objects poke my hands.

She pulls me close to her and hugs me tightly, "I want you to have these earrings. They're broken, but their real diamonds. I heard that District Twelve residents who live in the Seam area don't have a lot of money and I want to make sure that if things ever get hard you can still put bread on the table."

I nod my head and kiss her cheek. Annie was like an older sister to me, and I knew I could trust her to look out for Persi and my family. I didn't have to hope that she would care for them because I knew she would.

The trains whistle blows, alerting us that I have to board the train soon. I hug every member of my family, trying to commit everything about them to memory. I try to remember my dad's salty smell and scruffy kisses, my mother's soft voice telling me that she loves me, Annie's reassuring words that she'll take care of my brother, little Finn's tiny hands, Finnick's loud laugh, and Persi's mischievous eyes.

Saying goodbye to my siblings is the hardest. Finnick scoops up Persi in his arms because she's crying so hard now that she can't hold herself up. I hug the two of them at the same time and instantly my shoulder is soaked with Persi's tears.

"I love you so much Persi and no matter what we're always going to be sisters." I say and Persi sobs into me. She can barely form any words, but I know that she loves me so much in return.

Finnick begins to tear up and and I don't think I can handle this anymore. He squeezes the life out of me and I press a kiss to his cheek. "All aboard!" The Peacekeepers yells and Finnick lets me go, prying Persi off of me.

Persi thrashes in Finnick's arms trying to get him to let her go because she wants to come with me. I choke on a sob and my father quickly helps me onto the train. He kisses my cheek one last time and I turn away quickly, refusing to look back because I fear I might get off the train. I move to my train compartment in a slow dreamlike way, this seems like a nightmare. When I finally reach my room I look out my window and find my family slowly retreating. Finnick is still holding Persi because she's still trying to fight her way to the train.

It takes all the strength I have not to run off the train to her.

The compartment door slides open and I turn to find Margo entering the room. Her face, which is usually bright and smiling, is in tears and I stand up to hug her. She lets out a sob and says, "I thought it would be easier."

We sit on the floor of the compartment, not daring to look out the window as the train pulls away, tearing us away from our family and home. I don't think I'm ever going to be happy again, my heart is too shattered.

* * *

Sorry i didn't update last week! I hope you guys like this chapter because I found it kind of difficult to get it right.

Let me know what you guys thing!


	6. Chapter 6

Margo and I decide to skip dinner the first night of our train ride. We're laying side by side of the bottom bunk not really talking about anything important, just the first thing that comes to our mind. Margo just got done telling me a rather humorous story from her childhood. Whenever she and her sisters were put in timeout their father would hang them off a coat hook from their clothes. It sounds bad, but I know her parents would never do anything to hurt them and it was supposed to be funny then harm them in anyway. She shows me pictures of her hanging off one of the hooks, a large smile on her face while her father stands close by, ready to reach out and catch her in case she falls.

"Are you going to miss him?" Margo asks when she flips a page from her photo album and Sinon and I are together in a picture. His arm is around my middle and I'm laughing trying to escape his grasp. He has a large grin on his face and he's just looking at me, just at me and I feel a lump form in my throat.

"Yes." I answer and Margo nods pointing to the picture of us in matching swimsuits. We had to be twelve in the picture. "You know, Sinon asked me to run away with him." I say shaking my head to rid the image of our last kiss from my mind.

"You and Sinon will always be perfect be perfect for each other. I think you should have left with him. I mean if anyone could have escaped this, it probably would have been you two." Margo says and I wipe my eyes with the back of my hand.

"I don't want to talk about this." I say and Margo nods her head. I try to picture what it would be like to live in the outskirts of the District with Sinon, always running away from the Capitol, never having somewhere warm to sleep, never having children, never being safe again. The thought itself is terrifying enough to actually look forward to my stable life that will be in District Twelve, even if it's without all the people that I love.

"I'm scared that Thresh won't love me." Margo says after a few moments of silence and I look at her with a smile on my face.

"How could he not love you?" I ask and Margo grins a little, her eyes still looking at the bunk above us.

"I'm just scared that I won't make a good wife. That I won't be what he expected." Margo says with a quivery breath. "I can't do those household chores like you can. I mean I can cook and clean, but I don't know if I can run a smooth household. I don't know if I'm going to be able to do this."

"Yes you can Margo. Of course you can and what makes you think that I'm going to know what I'm doing? I'm just as scared as you are and I'm not that bright, you know that. I'll probably screw up something on the first day, but not you. You just got to give yourself time adapt and I bet that you'll be like mama." I say and Margo looks over at me, her eyes wide and glassy.

"I think you're smart." Margo says and I smile a little, rolling my eyes more. "I do, I just think you're trying too hard to be what the Capitol wants you to be. It's rare to see the real Norah anymore."

"And what's the real Norah?" I ask because I am genuinely curious to hear what she is going to say.

"The one who acts like Finnick and Persi. She's stubborn and likes to argue with people because she wants to see how angry she can get them. It's the Norah that would actually, seriously consider running away with Sinon. I haven't seen that Norah since we were sixteen." Margo says ad I bite my lip, shaking my head.

"That Norah grew up." I say and Margo sighs, leaving it alone. "Do you want to know what I'm absolutely terrified of?"

"What?" She asks and my hands come to rest on my stomach.

"Having children. I have no idea how to raise a kid and I imagine that it's going to be the best and most scariest moment of my life." I say and Margo laughs. "I wish my mom could be around to help me."

"Same here, my mom always knew what to do with kids. She could tell what they wanted by the way they cried." Margo says and I nod my head, understanding because my own mother was the same way. "Maybe we'll be like that too after we have kids."

"What do you name yours?" I ask and Margo grins. I know she loves to have conversations like this.

"I like the name Rue, it's a little meadow flower. I also like the name Eeva for a little girl and if I have sons I'll name the first born after Thresh and the second son after my own dad." Margo answers and I smile, crossing my arms over my chest and trying to picture what Margo's children will look like. I imagine them having her caramel colored skin, but their father's dark eyes.

"I like the name Caroline and Wyatt." I say and Margo smiles, happy that I'm contributing to the conversation. "I hope they don't have my hair though." I say before we both laugh.

"You do kind of have unmanageable hair." Margo says before tugging at a piece. I slap her hand away and she laughs again.

We keep our hands intertwined and soon our voices become softer. It's late and we're both drained, we talk for a little while until we both fall asleep next to each other on the bottom bunk. I'm glad that I have Margo sleeping next to me because I can't remember the last time I've ever slept in a bed without one of my sisters next to me.

To keep ourselves occupied during the train ride through the Districts we play with the cards that Margo found in the small end table drawer. I sweep Margo at each game we play and by the end of our game of poker she owes me almost three hundred dollars.

"I don't want to play this anymore." Margo says before putting the card back into the box. I laugh and push her shoulder a bit.

"Sore loser." I say and she shrugs her shoulders looking out the window. We're getting close to District Eleven and I can tell she's getting nervous. The land outside the window is large and dry with rows and rows of trees. "I've never seen anything like this."

"I know," Margo says with a smile, "It's beautiful."

"Are you scared?" I ask and Margo shakes her head.

"Nervous, but not scared. I want to go into this with an open mind." Margo answers and I nod my head, squeezing her hand and smiling at her.

"We should probably get you ready." I say and Margo sighs before turning to her suitcase that's opened on the bottom bunk.

"Actually, can we just play cards again?" Margo asks and I laugh, my hands pulling out a maroon colored summer dress.

"No, you need to get ready Margo." I say looking towards her, "I think this dress will be nice, it'll bring out the gold in your eyes."

I help Margo get ready the best I can, but I mostly just keep telling her reassuring things because with each passing moment she becomes more and more nervous. I watch her apply the makeup left for us from the Capitol to her face and then I tie a scarf into her hair. I nod my head at her, she looks beautiful.

"Can you fasten my broach?" Margo asks and I smile, knowing that she can't do it because her hands are shaking too much.

As I fasten the broach Margo looks everywhere but at me, a sure sign that my friend is trying not to burst into tears. "It's strange to think we won't be friends anymore." I say before I can stop myself and I bite my tongue hard, wishing I had said something else.

"We're always going to be best friends Norah." She stops me from clasping the gold broach to her dress. She takes my hand and then digs the point into the smooth part of my right above my wrist. I cringe and go to pull my hand back but she stops me and I realize that she's drawing a heart deep enough into my skin to scar.

I do the same to her hand. The whole thing reminds me of our names carved into our school table back in District Four. After I carve the heart into her hand I wipe the pin off onto my shirt and pin it to her dress. Margo pulls me into a tight and hug and both of us begin to cry into each other's shoulder.

"Be brave." I tell her and Margo pulls away, wiping her eyes and then nodding her head.

"I hope the odds are in your favor." Margo says just as the train slows to a stop. I hug her again and she squeezes me.

"I guess this is it." I say and Margo nods her head.

"I guess so." Margo says before looking down at her shoes. I nudge her and she looks up at me.

"Knock'em dead." I say she laughs before walking out of the compartment, not saying any kind of goodbye because it would be too terrible to admit that we will never see each other again.

I hurry over to the window and watch for Margo to step off the train. It's a few minutes before she reappears and is instantly stopped by a Peacekeeper. She talks to him briefly before he dismisses her to go find her new family. Margo turns back towards the train, her eyes searching desperately for me. When our eyes meet I mouth to her to '_be_ brave.'Margo nods and stands taller, she straightens out her dress and waves goodbye before blowing me a kiss. I blow her a kiss back and rest my hand on the glass window.

The last picture I have of my friend is her back disappearing into a crowd as the train pulls away.

I curl up into a ball on the bottom bunk and feel the tears begin to slip down my cheeks. The door to my compartment opens and I sit up quickly, nailing my head on the top bunk. I press the palm of my hand to the top of my head and cringe at how sore it is.

A dark skinned girl with short cropped hair is standing in the doorway. She wipes her eyes and smiles sheepishly at me before placing her suitcase next to mine on the floor. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's fine I just didn't think I was sharing the room tonight." I say before taking a deep breath to calm my nerves.

"I'm Hattie, District Eleven, soon to be District Twelve." The girl says and I smile at her, glad to know that I won't be arriving at District Twelve alone.

"Norah, District Four, soon to be Twelve." I say and she smiles too. Hattie takes a seat on the floor in front of me and sighs.

"It does get easier right? I mean I will stop crying after a while?" She asks and I laugh a little.

"I haven't really." I tell her and she groans. She shakes her head and leans back on her elbows.

"So who have you been contracted you?" Hattie asks and I lean back on the bed resting my head on the pillow.

"Gale Hawthorne, he's a coal miner." I say because those are the only things I know about him. I look over at Hattie and she nods her head.

"I'm contracted to Jeremy Walkers, he's a butcher." Hattie says and I make a small noise because I don't know what to say to her. I wasn't very good at making new friends, "You're not very talkative are you?"

"No." I answer and Hattie laughs.

"That's ok. I'm just glad that I won't be stepping off this train without knowing anyone. Could you imagine, going somewhere without a friend." Hattie asks and I shake my head. I want to point out that we just met, so technically we aren't friends, but I don't because I kind of like the idea of not stepping off the train by myself.

Hattie talks for a while more before she crawls into the top bunk. The light switches off and I fix my pillows so that it feels like someone is lying next to me. I take a deep quivering breath and surprisingly, sleep comes easy tonight.

Hattie and I are in a hurry in the morning. Both of us had over slept and we didn't start getting ready until we're about fifteen minutes away from the train station. I dress quickly in a light cotton shirt and a pair of old jeans. I allow Hattie to braid my hair down my back, she does it well. The braid is tight and holds each piece of hair in place. I smile at her and fix the scarf that she's tied around her head. She nods her head and then both of us go back to getting ready.

I clasp my gold necklace to my neck and slip the earrings Annie gave me into my pocket. It's comforting to know that they're there. I place my woven hat on my head and look at myself one last time in the mirror. _Be Brave_, repeats in my head and I take a deep breath.

"I can do this." I say to myself before stepping out of the compartment with Hattie. Hattie takes my hand and even though I find it to be strange I give it a reassuring squeeze as the train slows to a stop.

We step off the train together and a Peacekeeper stops us instantly. "Names." She drones and I lick my lips.

"Norah Rochelle Od- Hawthorne. Norah Rochelle Hawthorne." I say and the Peacekeeper nods, signing me in.

"Please continue forward." The Peacekeeper says and I let go of Hattie's hand, clutching my suitcase and heading into the crowd.

It's overwhelming and I suddenly wish I was still holding onto Hattie's hand. Every boy with dark hair I figure to be Gale and with each one that isn't him I become more panicked that I'll never find him. I walk around the crowd, uncomfortably and kind of scared. This wasn't anything like District Four.

I feel like I'm walking in circles until a younger boy appears in front of me. He has black hair, the same color as night and when he sees me he smiles. "Norah right?"

"Yes." I say a little unsure of this boy, he has the same grey eyes as Gale. There dark like clouds before a storm.

"I'm Rory, Gale's younger brother. C'mon, the family is this way." Rory says before taking my hand and then my suitcase and then pulling me through the crowd. He calls out his family, which is a group of four standing a little ways off from the crowd.

Gale is standing there, with his head down looking at his shoes while a woman, who I assume is his mother points her finger at him with a very stern look on her face. She seems to be scolding him; I smile a little bit because it reminds me of my own mother scolding Finnick.

"Ma," Rory says but the woman continues to scold to him, "Ma!" He says louder and the woman turns to look at him, her silver eyes narrowing before looking over at me.

"Oh Norah!" She says, her anger disappearing as she pulls me into a hug. I hug her back, glad to have a motherly hug.

"Hello." I say awkwardly as we pull away.

"How was your trip?" She asks and I notice Gale rub his face for a moment before stepping up next to his mother and taking my suitcase from his brother's hand.

"It was- it was fine I guess." I say sheepishly and Gale nods his head, looking down at me.

"That's good." Gale says and I smile looking up at him. He has a deep voice and strong face, He's handsomer in person. "This is my mother Hazelle, my brother Rory, my brother Vick, and my little sister Posy." He says as he scoops up a tiny girl with raven colored hair.

"Hi Posy." I say and she hides in Gale's shirt. He chuckles I smile tucking a loose piece of hair behind my ear.

Since none of us know what to do Gale leads us back to our new house. Hazelle takes Posy from Gale and then turns towards me, "If you need anything don't hesitate to come and ask me." She says before parting ways with us.

Our house is the Seam is basically the same size as my house back in District Four. The houses here are grey though, instead of multiple colors like the ones back home. The house is probably the same layout as the one back in District Four, which is a comforting thought for me.

Gale unlocks the front door and opens the door. He looks at me and then nods his head for me to enter. If he was Sinon he would have picked me up and carried me across the doorframe just to make me laugh. I push the thought from my head and step inside. The house is kind of empty from a lack of belongings but we have the major necessities like the furniture. We'll be able to collect belongings over the years.

I take a tentative seat on the old tattered couch and look at Gale. He's walking down the hallway with my suitcase, probably putting it in our bedroom. Our bedroom. The thought causes goose bumps to appear on my arm and I sigh, trying to get a grip on myself. When he returns he leans against the wall and studies me. His grey eyes trailing up my body and then over my face.

"I hope you feel at home here." Gale says and I smile at him.

"So do I." I say and Gale nods his head glancing at the clock. His brows furrow heavily and he looks at me again.

"Look, I have to meet someone. I'll be back in an hour, why don't you get yourself comfortable." He says and I nod my head watching him as he takes a large leather bag from the hall closet.

"Where are you going?" I ask before blushing. I shouldn't be questioning where my husband is going.

"Nowhere important." He answers with a smirk when he sees me blush.

"Should I start dinner?" I ask and he shakes his head.

"No, I'll do it." Gale says and I go to protest but he shakes his head, "Let me worry about what we eat alright?"

"Alright." I say and he nods his head towards me before leaving the house. I sigh and get off the couch, deciding to go to our bedroom to check it out.

Gale has already moved his belongings into the closet and the bottom drawers of the dresser. I open my suitcase and sort my clothes out between my top drawers and closet. When I reach the bottom of my bag I find a photo album and I start to cry before I even open it. It has pictures of all of us in it, the most recent being a family photo taken eight months before little Finn was born.

I let out a heavy and finally allow myself to cry with tears and sobs that shake my whole body. I curl up on the bed with the photo album in my hands and a quilt over mu body. I continue to cry until no more tears will come. I'm exhausted and fall asleep with a pounding headache.

I wake up to the sound of quiet voices and silverware against plates. I walk slowly down the hallway and wonder when I had taken my shoes off. I walk into the dining room/kitchen area and find Gale eating dinner with a girl with long black hair and silver eyes. She's striking and I wonder if she and Gale are related.

Gale's smiling at something she said but when he notices me standing in the doorway it falters. He stands up and pulls out a chair for me motioning for me to sit down before he pulls a plate of food that was warming in the oven. He sets it in front of me before taking his seat again.

"Norah, this it Katniss." Gale says and I smile at her, reaching across the table to shake her hand.

She stares at me hand with a look of disgust on her face. She frowns and then looks me in the eye, it's like she's trying to shoot daggers at me and I finally understand the term if looks could kill. I pull my hand back slowly and she stands up, knocking her chair over as she goes. She makes a face at Gale before storming out of the house.

Gale gets up and hurries after her, "Catnip!" He calls but she's already out the door, he follows her out and I can hear their low voices from where I sit at the table.

I can feel the hot tears sting my eyes when I come to realization that Katniss is Gale's sweetheart. The two were probably meant to be together and that most likely means he won't love me the way he loves her.

I stand up just as Gale walks back into the house. "Norah." He says but I shake my head, wiping my eyes and hurrying down the hallway back to our bedroom and crawling back into bed.

I just want to go home.

* * *

This chapter was difficult to write. I hope you guys like it!

Let me know what you think!


	7. Chapter 7

When I wake up I panic because I don't know where I am. My hand automatically searches for my sister but I only find a cold pillow. This helps me remember that I'm not in District Four anymore and I'm far, far away from my little sister. I let out a sob and I clamp my hand over my mouth to silence it. I slide onto the cold floor and lean against the bed, keeping my hand over my face and letting out quiet cries.

I cry for a few minutes before a hand comes to rest on my shoulder. I jump even though the touch was gentle. I look up and find Gale standing there, his eyes are full of concern and his brows are furrowed like he's trying to think of a way to comfort me. I hadn't even heard him enter the room and I wonder how he walks so silently.

"Are you ok?" He asks and I feel a blush rush into my cheeks. I rub my puffy eyes, feeling like a small child sitting here and crying on the floor.

"I'm fine. I'll go start breakfast." I say as I begin to get off the floor. Gale helps me up by grabbing my arm gently and pulling me to my feet. His hand is calloused and rough and I wonder if it's because he works in the mines.

"I already made breakfast." Gale says with a small smile but it seems forced, like he doesn't want to smile at me. It's nothing like he smile he gave Katniss last night.

I blink a few times, wondering why he would make breakfast. In school we're taught that the wife takes care of the household chores. "I'm sorry I wasn't up early enough to do it."

He smirks at me and rubs the back of his head, "I don't mind it really." He says and I rub my eyes again and sniffle, making me feel even more like a small child. Gale's smirk widens and he tucks one of my loose hairs behind my ear. The touch is comforting, but more awkward than anything. "We should go eat before the food gets cold."

"I'm going to change first." I say and Gale nods his head before exiting the room and closing the door behind him.

I change into a pair of jeans and I loose cotton shirt. My hair is a tangled mess and it takes a while to brush out the snarls in it and re-braid it. When I'm satisfied with how I look I exit the bedroom and walk slowly into the kitchen. Gale is sitting at the table with a paper in his hand; his brows are furrowed as he reads over it. He looks up at me after a couple seconds and I blush when he stands up and pulls the chair next to him out for me to sit down.

Our dining table is a set of mismatched chairs like the one I grew up back home. I tap my fingers against the wood and Gale stares at me for a few seconds, "Aren't you going serve yourself?"

"I was waiting for you to go first." I say and Gale smirks again at me.

"You don't need to be so formal Norah. I'd rather be married to the real you than the one the Capitol morphed." Gale says and I sigh taking my plate and putting a piece of toast and some eggs on my plate.

I look down at my lap and take a deep breath because I don't know what to say to him. I didn't know who I was anymore. I've been who the Capitol has wanted me to be for so long that I can't remember how I was before I realized that acting with an independent mind was dangerous. I can't remember how to venture out of the safety of my shell.

"What's your favorite kind of flower?" Gale asks and I lick my lips, feeling a smile pull at the corners of my mouth at his simple question.

"I like any kind of flower, especially brightly colored ones." I say as I sneak a glance at him, he's watching me as I talk. "Is there a flower shop in town? I think some flowers would make the house not seem so grey." I say and Gale chuckles.

"Everywhere in District Twelve is grey." He says as he takes a bite of his toast, "There's a flower shop but it's expensive and the flowers die too quickly. I'll get you better flowers from the woods."

"You're allowed to go in the woods here?" I ask and Gale smirks, tipping his chair back a little.

"Not exactly." He says and I lift a brow at him.

"What do you mean?" I ask and Gale sighs, his brows furrowing together as he searches for the right words.

"I mean that I go into the woods illegally." He says carefully and I feel my eyes widen, "Look before you freak out I only go into the woods so that my family –our family will have enough food to eat."

"So you hunt. That's treason and stealing from the Capital. That will get you a bullet to the brain." I say and Gale shrugs his shoulders.

"It's faster than starving to death." He says and I'm taken aback by his words. "I only hunt because I have to. I won't let my siblings starve and I'm not going to let you starve here either." Gale says and I realize that the only think that he really focuses on is his family. I try not to seem surprised when he included me and I shouldn't be surprised. I'm a Hawthorne now and apart of his family.

"You won't be able to do much to keep us alive if they catch you." I say and Gale shakes his head at me.

"They won't catch me. Peacekeepers like fresh meat as much as the next the person." Gale says and my jaw drops a little. He smirks at my reaction and I shake my head turning away from him. The rules in District Twelve aren't nearly as enforced as the rules back in District Four.

"Do you hunt alone?" I ask and Gale shakes his head.

"No I hunt with Katniss." He says and I suddenly become flustered with the thought that my husband will most likely be spending hours alone in the woods with his sweetheart.

"Oh." I say and he tilts his head at me.

"Nothing has ever happened between Katniss and me. She doesn't think of me like that, trust me." He says and I stare at him, my eyes studying how his jaw clenches and unclenches.

"You think of her that way though." I state and he shakes his head.

"Not anymore, that was a long time ago." He says before looking at me, his silver eyes meeting my brown ones, "Did you have anyone?"

"Yes." I answer and he nods his head, tipping his chair back again.

"I'm sorry for how Katniss acted. I wanted her to come over so she could meet you; she promised she would be pleasant. I didn't want to upset you, that wasn't my intention at all, I promise." Gale says and I shrug my shoulders.

"It didn't bother me at all." I say and Gale lets out a chuckle.

"You're a terrible liar Norah." He says and I laugh. "She's going to take a while to get used to the change of everything, but she will. I actually think the two of you will get along."

"She looked like she wanted to kill me." I say and Gale chuckles.

"She doesn't, she just has a lot going on." Gale says and I bite my lip.

"Was she contracted?" I ask, trying to picture the unlucky man that calls himself her husband.

"No she's only sixteen." Gale says and I lift a brow at him. "Yep, she has another two years until she's contracted. She's having a hard time because her mother was recontracted to the local drunk awhile back and now Katniss has to worry about three kids under the age of twelve instead of one."

"Don't the parents take care of them?" I ask and Gale nods his head.

"Mrs. Everdeen does, but she's also the only healer in the Seam so she has a lot of people to care for and well her new husband is always passed out drunk in the gutter so he's not around to care for them." Gale says and I bite my lip.

"That's sad." I say picturing children whose parents don't have a strong bond like mine had.

Gale stays silent and I stand up to clear the table. He notices what I'm doing and helps me clean the dishes in the sink. Our elbows knock against each other multiple times and I wonder if he's doing it on purpose. I sneak a glance at him from the corner of my eye and find that he's already watching me. I smile at him and return to scrubbing the skillet that Gale has used to make breakfast in.

I wonder if Gale and I will have a happy life together. The thought of him hunting illegally in the woods creeps back into my mind and then I remember that he's a coal miner, explosives expert to be exact and I begin to worry. What if he's not around long enough to live a full happy life with me and I'm forced to be recontracted to a drunk like Katniss's mother had? I push the thought away from my mind and think about what District Twelve has to offer. The morose thought is still itching the back of my mind though and I look at Gale again, committing him to my memory.

* * *

A short filler chapter. I'm going to post the next chapter tomorrow night!

Thanks for all the really great reviews!

Let me know what you think


	8. Chapter 8

"We're going to get you a warmer coat." Gale says as he pinches the thin fabric of my coat sleeves, "I bet it doesn't snow in District Four."

"No," I say shaking my head and linking my arm with his as we begin our walk through the District, "I've never even seen snow before or been in temperatures below fifty."

"You're going to freeze here." Gale says with a smirk and I find myself looking at him, I enjoyed his little smirks. "I'm going to have to stock up on extra firewood this winter."

We walk in silence, Gale occasionally pointing something or someone out for me. I'm amazed by how incredibly grey the Seam is. The coal dust from the mines has produced a layer of film over everything and now the colors of the District are dull and sad looking. It's the complete opposite of District Four where everything is vibrant and lively. Even the people here look sad and broken and I assume that's how I'll look like in a few years.

We pass a house and an apple core comes flying out of nowhere. Gale knocks it out of the air quickly and I hear a laugh come from an open window from the house. "Thom!" Gale yells and another laugh erupts from the window.

A dark haired man with stubble on his face hangs out the window and grins crookedly at us. "Hey Gale!" He yells before disappearing and then walking out of the front door, a tiny brunette with a swollen stomach following behind him with a smile plastered on her face.

"Norah, this is my good friend and co-worker Thom and his wife Bristel." Gale says and I hold out my hand to shake theirs. Thom pulls me into a bone crushing hug instead.

"Thom, lay off the poor girl. You're going to scare her." Bristel says before swatting her husband's arm. She hugs me a lot more gently than Thom had and apologizes for her husband's enthusiastic behavior.

Bristel is very pretty and her skin seems glow, perhaps because she's so happy. She places a hand on her stomach and smiles at me, it's contagious and I can't help but smile back. "Is this going to be your first child?" I ask and Bristle nods her head.

"Yes." She says beaming and I feel my smile widen. If this is their first child than it means that Thom and Bristel were contracted last September. On the first anniversary of your contract day you have to have already had your first born or be pregnant with it. After you have your first born you can have the other three when it's the right time for you.

The thought of me being pregnant or already having my child this time next year is enough to make my smile falter a little. Being pregnant in time meant I had to sleep with Gale in the next three months. I swallow the lump forming in my throat and try to seem normal even though I can feel the panic rising in my chest.

"I can't imagine what it must feel like to have a person grow inside you." I say quietly out loud and I hear Gale chuckle next to me. I swallow again, blushing because he's not yet used to haow scatter brained I can be at times.

"Do you want to feel? The baby's kicking." Bristel says and before I can even reply she takes my hand into hers and presses it against her round stomach. "That's _her_ foot."

"_His_ foot." Thom corrects with a grin before he kisses his wife's cheek. Bristel rolls her eyes and swats his arm again. The baby kicks my hand and I pull it back quickly, surprised by how it feels.

I can't imagine growing something inside of me, that's half of me and half of Gale and then loving it for eighteen years and then just sending to live in some unknown place, where I'll never see it again. How parents have been able to choose what child stays and what child doesn't is beyond me. I wouldn't be able to do, the thought is tearing me apart right now.

"Norah." Gale calls, "Norah." He says just a little louder and I snap out of my daze, blinking a few times as my eyes focus on him. I stare at him for a few moments, studying the crinkles around his eyes that show that he must smile a lot. So far he hasn't smiled at real smile at me yet, but I haven't even been here for day. If he was Sinon he would have smiling a real smile at me since I got off the train, but Gale isn't Sinon, and I need to stop comparing the two.

"Sorry, I was daydreaming." I say, shaking my head and Gale smirks.

"I can see that." He says before chuckling. "I was just saying that we should probably get going."

I nod my head and we say goodbye to Thom and Bristel. I follow Gale through the Seam until he comes to a dead stop in front of an old abandoned warehouse. At least I believe it's abandoned until I find a few people leave and then a few enter. I lift a brow and look at Gale curiously.

"This is the Hob." Gale says before his eyes skirt around, "It's our black market and where I pretty much make a living. You can trade here and find things for cheap, but I don't want you to come in here without me, ever."

"Is it dangerous?" I ask and Gale's brows furrow.

"In a way." He answer before he starts walking. I don't follow him right away, my eyes trained on the warehouse. I wanted to go inside, see exactly what the Hob is for myself. I begin to follow Gale and run straight into someone, knocking me right off my feet.

Standing above me is the Head Peacekeeper and I almost have a heart attack. I expect him to raise his club, something a Peacekeeper back in Four would do, but the Head Peacekeeper doesn't. Instead he helps me to my feet and grins at me. I flinch when his eyes trail my body.

Gale appears in front of me quickly. It's lucky that he's so tall because he not only towers over the Peacekeeper but shields me from the Peacekeeper's view at the same time. "Mr. Hawthorne, this must be your new wife."

"Yes, this is Norah." Gale says introducing me even though he makes no motion to leave his spot between me and the Peacekeeper.

"A beautiful name for a very beautiful girl." The Peacekeeper says and I cringe, feeling Gale tense in front of me. It's not rare for Peacekeepers to rape the woman in their district. Peacekeepers have _needs_ as much as the next man and since Peacekeepers can't get married the easiest thing to do is to use the innocent women that they catch in the street. Some of the women do go to the Peacekeepers when they need money; it's a quick way to keep your family alive.

"Yes, I'm very lucky." Gale says glancing over his shoulder at me and I feel a blush tingle in my cheeks.

"That you are. I expect an extra bird or two in my next delivery." The Peacekeeper says with a wink before he begins walking again.

"Are you ok?" Gale asks, his eyes skirting over me in a concerned way.

"I'm fine." I answer as I fix my hair and then straighten out my shirt, "I'm fine, and who is that?"

"That's Cray, he's a creep and a reason why you can't come to the Hob without me." Gale says and I nod my head.

"Right, no Hob." I say and Gale smirks at me, "But I am curious as to what the inside of the Hob looks like."

"I promise I'll bring you with me one time." Gale says before tugging at the sleeve of my jacket, "Come one, we have a lot more of District Twelve to see."

Gale leads me to Town and although the town part of District Twelve is festive, it's kind of suffocating. All the building and houses of the merchants are squished together and I find myself missing the grey houses in the Seam. "Where will I be working?" I ask Gale as we pass the Tailor's shop, I knew I was a Seamstress but I wasn't sure where exactly that was.

"Back at the Seam, in my mother's house. She's actually your boss." Gale says and I lift my brows.

"Oh." I say and Gale chuckles.

"It's really not that bad. I mean you have to wash and stitch other people's clothes but it's better than a lot of the jobs here." Gale says and I nod my head.

"I start tomorrow." I say feeling the butterflies in my stomach. "I'm kind of nervous. The only job I've ever done is scrap barnacles off of boats."

"That doesn't sound very fun." Gale says and I laugh.

"No it's not." I say, "It's actually kind of repetitive and it smells and sometimes the acid we have to use burns." I say as I lift up my right hand to show the scars on my fingertips and the callouses on my palms.

"That's nothing." Gale says as he lifts up his own hand to show the scars that he has gained over the years. "See this, I sliced a knife right through, almost took off my thumb."

I pull up my jacket sleeve and point to my forearm, "Dog bite." I state and Gale leans in closer to look at it. "Tore out a pretty big chunk of flesh."

"Impressive." Gale says and we walk back towards the Seam comparing our scars and recounting stories. He points to a scar above his eyebrow, "Fell out of a tree when I eight."

I point to my own scar above my eyebrow. It's in the same exact place Gale's scars in, "My friend was casting a line and the fishing hook got stuck to my face."

Gale laughs, he actually laughs and I feel a smile forming on my lips. "You're lucky it didn't get stuck in your eye."

I feel the scar above my eyebrow gently and remember Finnick saying the same thing after he found out what happened. He punched Sinon, even though it was an accident. I feel the tears burn my eyes and my chin starts to quiver. I rub my eyes hurriedly and Gale's smile disappears, a look of concern on his face now.

"If is said something-" Gale begins but I cut him off my shaking my head and rubbing the tears from my eyes.

"No, remembering just hurts a little bit." I say and Gale nods his head. He stays silent for the rest of the walk back to the Seam.

Instead of going home, we go to Hazelle's house. "So this is where you grew up?" I ask, looking at the small brown house with the flowers in the window.

"Yep, home sweet home." He says sarcastically as his siblings run out of the house and tackle him to the ground. I laugh and watch the four of them wrestle on the ground. There's a large age gap between Gale and his sister and I figure that Gale's parents must be younger than my own.

"Norah, don't you want to play?" Posy asks and I smile at her, tucking a loose piece of her raven colored hair behind her ear.

"I'm going to go inside and talk to your mom, but you keep playing." I say and she smiles at me.

"Can we play dolls later?" Posy asks and I nod my head at her. A smile on my face because she's so friendly.

"Of course. Can I just go inside?" I ask Gale because I'm unsure if I should knock or not.

Rory, who's standing on top of Gale looks at me and laughs, "Norah, you're like family now, just walk inside."

I look at Gale for conformation and he nods his head before knocking his brother off of him. Posy follows me inside telling me that her brothers always play too rough for her. "Did you have any brothers?" She asks when we walk inside the house. Hazelle grins at me, she's washing clothes in a large basin.

"I have one older brother, Finnick and two sisters, Kassi and Persi." I say and Posy looks at me wide eyed.

"You're lucky that you only have one brother." She says dramatically and I laugh at her, Hazelle shaking her head.

"Oh Posy, you love your brothers." Hazelle says and Posy smiles.

"I know, but I want a sister to play with." Posy says before running down the hallway in search of something fun to do.

"How are you Norah?" Hazelle asks and I sit at the dining room table.

"I'm ok." I say and Hazelle smiles warmly at me.

"Just ok? Gale's treating you well isn't he?" Hazelle asks as her eye narrow on her sons outside.

"Oh yes, he's great." I say and Hazelle smiles, "I just wish I could still be with my siblings, especially Persi. I keep thinking about when I got on the train, my brother Finnick had to hold her because she was so upset she couldn't stand on her own." My voice cracks and Hazelle stops washing the laundry and dries her hands before coming over to sit with me.

"I know it's hard. I know how this feels and it's not fun at all, but it does get better. The pain starts to go away when you begin to love your husband's family as much as you love your own and it gets even better when you have your own children. You just need time." Hazelle says as she wipes a tear away from my cheek.

"I don't have time to fall in love though. I have to be pregnant or have child by this time next year." I say, shaking and Hazelle puts a steadying hand on my shoulder.

"Don't worry about that right now. You have time to get situated and I know my son. He's not going to pressure you do anything you're not ready for, he probably won't even sleep in the same bad as you until you ask him." Hazelle says and I smile half-heartedly. "You're going to be ok here."

I didn't mean to come in here and talk to Hazelle about all of this. I had actually wanted to see if she needed any help with work before my first official day tomorrow, but I'm glad that she's here to listen. She's a lot like how my own mother had been with Annie when she first arrived.

"I met Katniss." I say and Hazelle lifts a brow at me.

"And how did that go?" She asks and I make a face, "I see."

"He's in love with her, isn't he?" I ask and Hazelle tilts her head, thinking about it.

"He cares about her, but I don't think it's love. In fact I know it's not love because they're too similar, they're both like a wildfire and if they were together it would get out of control." Hazelle says and I stay silent.

"You and Gale have a high compatibility rate. You know it's not rare for the Capitol to contract you with the person you're meant to be with." Hazelle says before pressing a kiss to the top of my head and returning to her work.

Gale and his brothers walk in and I rub my eyes quickly and smile at him even though it's forced. Gale takes the seat next to me and listens intently to whatever Vick is talking about, something about a yeti living in the mines.

"Are you two staying for dinner?" Hazelle asks and Gale nods his head.

"Might as well." He says and Hazelle smiles.

"It's going to be nice to have everyone together for dinner." Hazelle says and I nod my head in agreement. I'm still trying to process what she said to me. I'm not sure if I agree with her that Gale is the one that I'm meant to be with.

~T~

When I wake up on Monday I'm freezing, probably because I had let Gale sleep in the bed with me because I felt bad that he would have to sleep on the lumpy couch. It could not have been good on his back, but I didn't realize how much of a blanket hog he is. I sit up and pull the top quilt from him and I can't help but glare.

I press my cold hand to his face and he jumps, "The hell?" He mutters looking at me and I lift a brow at him.

"Good morning." I say and Gale yawns sitting up and looking at all the blankets on him.

"Sorry." He mutters before pulling the blankets towards me but I shake my head.

"I have to get up anyways." I say with a yawn and Gale's brows furrow.

"Why you don't work until eight o'clock. I've got to get up, but you go to back to sleep." He says and I get up anyways.

"It's fine." I say and Gale rolls his eyes as he watches me get up and put my robe on. "What do you want for breakfast?"

"Eggs and toast is fine." Gale says as he gets up to get ready for work. "Can you make me a sandwich for lunch too?"

"Of course." I say before I disappear into the kitchen.

It doesn't take Gale long to get ready for work or long for me to pack his lunch and get breakfast ready for him. Work at the mines start at six every morning and end at six every evening, except on Sunday's when no one has to work. I feel bad that Gale has to work that long and underground. I only work from eight in the morning until four in the evening and I don't have to do as much hard work as Gale does.

He eats slowly and I sit next to him, placing a hot cup of mint teas down next to his plate. "Are you nervous?"

"I've always known that working in the mines is inevitable, but thinking about being trapped underground scares me." Gale says and I tilt my head at him, "You know my dad died in a mine explosion."

I don't know what else to do so I grab his hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. He smirks a little at me and we sit there hand in hand until Thom walks right into our house, swinging the door open so that it bangs against the wall. "You're cooking smells a lot better than Bristel's."

I let go of Gale's hand and smile sheepishly as he swipes a piece of toast off Gale's plate, "Come one, we got work." Thom says as he pulls Gale out of the chair.

I follow them to the door so that I can lock the top lock after they leave. Gale grabs his pick axe and before he rests his mining helmet on his head he presses a kiss to my cheek.

"I'll see you this evening." He says and I blush in shock. Thom laughs from the road and I hurry him out.

"Be safe." I say and Gale nods his head.

Since I have two hours until work I scrub down the entire kitchen because there's this gross layer of coal dust setting on my cabinets. My mother would have a nervous breakdown with how the damn dust clings to everything. I've already been here a day and I can tell that keeping the dust out of my house is going to be a battle, especially with my husband being a coal miner.

When I arrive for work the Hawthorne household is a mess. Hazelle is yelling at her sons who are wrestling on the floor and Posy coloring the dining room table. Hazelle looks like she barely got any sleep last night and she's still has her arms deep in a laundry basin. My jaw drops and Hazelle looks like she might be losing her mind. I walk over quickly to the boys and pull Vick off of Rory and keep them separated.

"What are you doing?" I ask and Vick lunges at his brother again.

"Norah, could you walk them to school for me please?" She asks desperately and I nod my head letting go of the boys. Rory shoves his little brother and it looks like they're about to fight again.

"That's enough!" Hazelle yells quiet loudly and even I cringe, "Get to school right now!"

The boys hurry and grab their coats and backpacks and I follow them out the door. We walk for a while until I decide to ask why they were fighting.

"I don't remember." Rory says as he throws his arm over his brother's shoulder like they hadn't just tried to kill each other moments before. I roll my eyes and don't even bother to ask again.

"Did your mom get any sleep last night?" I ask and Rory shakes his head.

"I think she went to bed around three this morning. Some Town people have been dropping off clothes for her to wash because my mom can pretty much get any stain out and they're a lot more demanding than people in the Seam." Rory says with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"But you're here to help her now right?" Vick asks wide eyed and I nod my head.

"Yes, I'm going to help her." I say and Vick smiles looking reassured by this answer.

The school house here is different than ours back home. Their school is one large building instead of multiple small buildings working as separate classrooms. "Oh, there's Prim. I'll see you guys later!" Rory says running off to go talk to a small blonde that looks to be in his grade.

"That's Rory's girlfriend." Vick says with a snicker and I laugh, "She's also Katniss's little sister."

"Oh." I say, my smile soon disappearing when I realize that Katniss is standing next to Prim and Rory.

"Well, I'm going to go inside so you can go back to work. Bye Norah." Vick says and I wink at him before hurrying back to the road that will lead me back to Hazelle's house before Katniss sees me.

I never thought I could miss scraping barnacles off boats, but after having my hands in freezing cold water for most of the day I wish I appreciated my job back at District Four more. I pull my hands out of the water and bend them to get some feeling back. My knuckles split and I gasp.

"That happens, but your hands will get used to being in the water eventually. Why don't you just deliver these clothes to the people in town and then go home. Everything that needed to be washed today got done." Hazelle says before letting out a yawn.

I look at the piles of clothes that still need to be washed and bite my lip. Hazelle will be up all night washing those and I'm sure when I drop off the clothes in town the customers will give me more to wash. "Why don't I take some home with me so you can actually get some sleep tonight?"

"That would be great Norah." She says with another large yawn, "You can take that basin and then bring the clothes back tomorrow."

"Sounds good." I say before putting a hand on top of Rory's head, he and Vick are finishing their homework at the dining room table, "Be good." I say

Rory smiles and the household says goodbye as I take the large basket of clothes and basin of cleaning supplies. I decide to drop the basin off at home before bringing the people in town their clothes. I'm tired and my hands hurt but I need to do this for Hazelle.

Many people in town are actually quite rude when I drop their clothes off and they give me more to wash, the worse is the bakers wife who turns her nose up at me when she realizes I'm a coal miners wife. Since she was so rude I'm terrified to drop off the clothes at the mayor's home. I surprised that Hazelle even washes their clothes because I assume they have one of those fancy Capitol washing machines.

I knock on the door and a pretty blonde answers the door. She smiles when she sees the pile of clothes in my hand and takes it from me quickly. "I will never understand how Hazelle gets these stains out."

"She's great." I say, turning to go home but the blonde stops me.

"You must have just been contracted here." She says and I nod, "I'm Madge Undersee."

"Norah Hawthorne." I say and her smile widens.

"So you married Gale, how lucky." She says seeming genuine.

"Do you know him?" I ask and she nods.

"He brings me strawberries." She says and I lift a brow. Even the mayor's family was part of illegal trading. I shake my head and she smiles, "This must be very different from your home District."

"Yeah it is." I say and Madge grins.

"I hope you feel at home here Norah." Madge says and I smile at here.

I hope I do too.

* * *

Kind of another filler chapter.

Things will start to pick up in the next couple chapters when I bring Katniss back.

Let me know what you think!


	9. Chapter 9

I almost start crying when Gale walks in covered in coal dust for the fifth time this week, he's been working in the mines for two weeks now and he still can't get in the habit of taking his shoes off before walking inside and tracking coal dust all over my rug.

"Boots." I hiss and he smiles sheepishly at me before kicking them off and placing them by the front door.

"Hello to you too. Yes I had a great time at work, how was your day?" He says sarcastically as he places his helmet on a hook next to the door. I smile and look up at him, we were starting to get a long now and I find that I actually enjoy his sarcasm and teasing. I will _never_ admit that to him though.

"Honestly Gale, I don't understand why it's so hard for you to remember to take off your shoes before walking into the house." I say and he sighs, his grey eyes meeting mine. "My day was fantastic, look my fingers barely pruned."

"And your knuckles?" He asks, looking genuinely concerned because they're swollen, dry, and cracked from the cold water and soap. I shake my head at him, waving the question and off and he sighs, "I don't understand why you make coal dust such a big deal. It's really not that big of a deal Norah, coal dust is everywhere in this District, especially in our part." He says as he walks past me, being careful not to shake any of the coal dust off onto the clean clothes I stayed up all night washing and all day drying. I hover protectively over the perfectly folded clothes and Gale smirks shaking his head as he passes me.

"It's not a big deal to you because you don't have to clean the house every day." I call after him but he doesn't hear me because he's already behind our closed bedroom door. I hurry and tie the twine around the clothes that I need to deliver back into town. My eyes can't help but glance back towards the spot in my rug that is turning a dingy green where Gale always first steps into the house with his work boots. I resist the urge to drop everything and want to scrub it and go back to trying the twine around the pure white cotton linen that I need to return to Hattie.

I start to stack them into the basket making sure that none of them have any wrinkles or stains in them. I don't want to ruin Hazelle's good name by returning a garment that isn't up to par. I yawn and I hear Gale chuckle as he moves from the hallway and towards the sink to try and scrub the coal dust out from underneath his fingernails. He moves so silently that I still can't help but watch him as he walks, trying to figure out how he makes his steps so soundless.

"You look tired." Gale comments before sighing in frustration when the coal dust refuses to get out from underneath his nails. He tosses the brush back into the small bucket next to the sink and dries his hand on a ratty old towel. He walks over to me and watches my hands. I try to hide them but he catches one by the wrist and studies the knuckles. "Norah these are terrible."

"I am tired." I say and instantly regret it when I realize that he must be tired too working in the mines all day. My job would be a vacation compared to his. I pull my hand from his and grab the basket quickly, ignoring his comment about my knuckles. They knock against the wicker of the basket and I grit my teeth in pain, "Let me just deliver these to Town and I'll come back and make dinner."

"I'll make dinner." He says before rolling his shoulders and I bite my lip.

"No Gale, can you just let me make dinner tonight?" I ask and he smirks, lifting a brow at me.

"You know the more time I spend with you the bossier you get." He says and I try not to smile at him.

"I'm not bossy." I say as I pick up the basket and walk over to the front door. "I'm wearing your coat, just so you know."

"It's not even cold outside." Gale says and I stare at him, it was freezing outside with a brisk mountain breeze. "There's still a warm summer breeze."

"You call that a warm summer breeze?" I ask and Gale chuckles moving into the kitchen to start dinner. I point at him, "Don't you dare start dinner."

"Bossy." He says and I crinkle my nose before heading out of the house. I can hear his chuckle when I reach the road and I can't help but smile.

I make sure to drop off Hattie's laundry last because she can sure talk anyone's ear off. She smiles wide at me when I walk inside and I return the grin. "Norah, how come you took so long?"

"Takes a while to wash things by hand." I say as I hand her the laundry and she hands me my pay and dirty laundry. "How's work going?"

"Great, your husband dropped off the plumpest turkey last Sunday." She lets out a whistle and shakes her head, "You want me to wrap up some of the sausage thinks for you? There pretty cheap."

"No, we can't afford that with our pay." I say even though the sausages do look good. "We got to save up and get some parts for the house, the sink in the bathroom broke and a few of my cabinet doors fell off in my kitchen. The window in our bedroom won't shut anymore ether so it's freezing everynight."

"I bet that gives you and Gale a reason to sleep close." Hattie says before wiggling her eyebrows at me.

"No, it gives Gale a reason to be a blanket hot throughout the night." I say and she laughs at me.

"I'm going to give you a few anyways, just don't tell my husband." Hattie says as she quickly wraps up a few links for me.

"I can't take this Hattie." I say before pushing the package back at her and she smiles picking it up and handing the package to me.

"If no one eats it soon anyways it'll just go to waist, besides Gale shot it so the meats basically yours." Hattie says with a big smile on her face.

"Thanks Hattie." I say as I place the meat in my basket, "I'd love to stay and chat but I got to get home and start dinner."

"Oh me too." Hattie says as she walks me out of the shop so that she can lock up, "Make sure you tell your husband thanks for all the fresh meat. It's really a big help in the store."

"I'll be sure to pass along the message." I say before hugging her goodbye and pulling the hood of Gale's jacket over my head.

It's just starting to get dark and I hurry home, making sure to stick to the main roads where there's streetlights to guide my way. I have to pass a few Peacekeepers and I pull the hood over my face even more, I pray that they won't see me but by a few catcalls I hear I know that they've spotted me.

I can hear them following a little ways behind me and I squeeze the basket closer to me. I take longer, quicker steps quickly rounding the corner to the Seam. My house isn't too far from here and I'm sure that I'll make it. If they haven't tried anything yet I know they won't try anything now.

When I'm finally behind the safety of my front door, Gale looks up from his spot next to the fire and lifts a brow. "Peacekeepers." I whisper and Gale's brows crinkle together.

"Lock the door." Gale says before getting up and looking out the window above the kitchen sink, "They didn't stick around." He says before closing the curtains and muttering something under his breath.

"You made dinner." I say when I see half of the cooked bird on the table and Gale drops his head before looking at me.

"Christ Norah." He says with a smirk and I hang his coat on the hook. "You were just followed by a pack of Peacekeepers and you're worried that I cooked dinner."

"I'm a dutiful wife." I say and Gale shakes his head pulling out the chair for me. I hand him the pack of sausages that Hattie gave me.

"Did you buy this?" Gale asks with a frown and I shake my head.

"No Hattie gave it to me." I say as I put some of the dinner onto my plate.

"So it's charity?" He says as he tosses it on the counter.

"Oh Gale." I say and look towards him, he just looks angry and I lean back against my chair, "It's really not that big of a deal Gale. She gave it to me because you caught the bird anyways and it wasn't selling."

"It's charity. The people in town feel bad for the poor Seam rats." Gale says and I look at him curiously.

"She was just being my friend Gale." I say and he shakes his head. He doesn't say anything just sits on the chair next to me and begins to eat his dinner, a scowl on his face the rest of his night. The playfulness he was showing me earlier is gone in a second and I sigh because I enjoy his company a lot more when he's having fun.

I wash the dishes slowly and watch Gale from the corner of my eye. He's sitting on the couch with a weathered down book in his hands. He reads a lot at night in front of the fire while I do the dishes and then work on the laundry. He stays up as long as he can with me, just reading that book and I wonder if he did the same thing with Hazelle, staying up while we worked just to keep us company.

"What are you reading?" I ask him and he glances up at me, folding the corner of the page and handing it to me. I hand him a cup of mint tea and take a seat next to him. I didn't have to work tonight so it's nice to just sit here and in front of the fire.

"_Oliver Twist_?" I ask and he nods his head, eyeing the faded red book in my hand. "It's from Old America isn't it?" I ask and Gale nods again, "Knowing you it's most likely isn't one that's approved by the Capitol."

"No it's not. My dad found it at the Hob was I five and he read it to me every night. I've always liked it because the main character didn't come from a good background and went through labor as a child like a lot of us Panem. It's relatable and I've never been able to part with it." Gale says and I open the book carefully looking at the short note from Mr. Hawthorne to his son.

"My mom had a book of fairy tales that she would read it, but I didn't bring it with me. It's all my siblings and I thought that Persi needed more than I would." I say and Gale watches me, his eyes studying my face.

"You're really fond of your sister aren't you?" He asks and I nod my head, tucking a loose piece of hair behind my ear.

"I miss her a lot. It's weird because I've never slept in a bed without one of my sisters next to me. It took a few days for me to get used to the fact that Persi wasn't lying next to me." I say, keeping my eyes on the book on my lap.

"I imagine your whole family to have red hair like yours." Gale says and I smile shaking my head.

"No, only Persi, my dad and I have red hair. My sister Kassi and my brother Finnick got my mom's hair." I say before handing him back his book, "I have a scrapbook in the bottom of my drawer."

I hurry into the room and pull the bottom of my drawer out and bring the scrapbook out to him. "I'll trade you books." I say and Gale smiles at me.

"I don't think that's a fair trade." Gale says and I smile shrugging my shoulders.

"There are some really embarrassing pictures of me in here." I say as I hand the scrapbook out to him. Gale chuckles and hands over _Oliver Twist_ to me.

"Take care of it." He says and I nod my head.

"I'll guard it with my life." I say before taking the seat next to him again.

We flip through the books for an hour before we decide that we should get some sleep. I put the red book on top of my scrapbook on the end table and follow Gale into the back bedroom. The room is freezing and Gale sighs moving over to try and close the window that refuses to close.

"I've got to get supplies for this to get fixed." Gale says as he puts all his muscle into the window but it still doesn't close. "Damn."

I pull down the blankets to the bed and crawl under the blankets. He climbs in next to me, careful not to pull all the blankets over to his side. "I need to get some warmer clothes too." I say and I shiver as I pull the blankets up to my chest.

Gale climbs out of bed and digs around in his drawer before tossing one of his long sleeved shirts at me. "I guess we can take a trip to the Hob on Sunday."

My eyes light up and Gale smirks at me, "It's really not that big of a deal Norah." He says with a chuckle before laying back into the bed next to me.

"I really want to see the Hob." I say and Gale rolls his eyes before placing his head down on the pillow and yawning.

"You will, I promise we'll go Sunday. I'll hunt with Katniss early and then come back and get you before I make my trades." He says and I smile at him.

"Ok, well goodnight." I say awkwardly and he smirks at me as I lean over to my night stand and blow out the candle that's giving the room a warm glow.

"Goodnight Norah."

* * *

I wanted to get a Gale/Norah moment in before I bring Katniss into the picture. So this is just a filler chapter and I'm going to try and have the next chapter up on Friday.


	10. Chapter 10

I wait patiently for Gale to return from his hunting trip with Katniss so that I can join them on their Hob trip. This would be the very first time I would be seeing Katniss since she left our home back on our first night, thinking about it that was almost three weeks ago, in early September. Now the District is starting to be hit by the cool crisp autumn weather as October begins.

While I wait for him I finish up sewing some of the clothes given to me by some of the people from the Seam who can afford our prices for mending. I push my hair back and sigh as I poke my finger with the needle again. I was usually better at this but my mind wasn't all there. Gale should have been back an hour ago, he told me as he left this morning. I wonder what was taking him so long as images of everything going wrong in the woods flash in my mind. I shake my head to get them out decide that if he doesn't return in the next hour then I would head towards the Hob and see if he's there.

I'm not used to being alone in a house. Back at home there was always at least someone there. I've never actually been on my own so adjusting to the quietness of my empty house here is hard. I actually miss just the constant sound of something going on, like my mom humming in the kitchen or Finnick and Persi fighting over something silly. I can imagine what all of them are doing right now on this Sunday morning and I can't help but wonder how long it took them to get back to their everyday lives after I left and if they still think of me every day like how I think about them.

The hour passes slowly, but it still passes with no sign of Gale. I sigh and get up, leaving my work folded on the table because I can return the clothes to their rightful owners tomorrow. I grab my jacket off the hook and feel the thinness of the material. I was really going to freeze this winter if I didn't get a warmer coat and warmer shirts and even warmer pants. I sigh and button up the jacket and pull on an old pair of gloves that were Gale's. The gloves are too big and have holes but they keep my hands warm against the nipping breeze.

I briefly remember how to get to the Hob, but now that if I just follow this dirt road than I should run into sooner or later. I hope I do anyways; getting lost was not something I want to do today. As I walk I think of Gale and how angry he'll most likely be at the fact that I'm at the Hob without him. He gave me clear instructions to stay away from this place unless he's with me. I bite my lip and pause in my steps debating if I should go back, I even begin to turn around but then I remember what Margo told me and what Gale told me. That they want me to be Norah, the real Norah and not the one the Capitol molded to be. I take a deep breath and push myself forwards towards the Hob again. I really hoped I didn't regret this.

The Hob is actually quite busy outside today and a few people watch me curiously. An older woman approaches me and places her calloused hand on my arm, "Can I help you dear?"

I stare at her for a few moments and debate whether if I should ask her if she's seen Gale or not. She waits patiently with a warm smile on her face. She reminds of my grandmother, but I still feel unsure if I should ask her or not. "I'm Greasy Sae, and you are?"

"Norah." I say and she nods her head.

"Gale's wife." She says and I tilt my head curiously at her, "He told me about you, showed your picture off too me when he first got it." I blush and she pats my arm.

"Do you know where I can find him?" I ask and she points to the entrance of the Hob.

"He's right in there, don't be shy. Anyone with the last name Hawthorne is a friend here." Greasy Sae says and I smile at her before continuing on my way to the door.

I push open the door hesitantly because I'm still not very sure of this place. I know Gale's going to be angry at me for being here and I suddenly have a feeling that I should just leave before he sees me. When I'm about to turn away I find him, standing off in the corner with Katniss. He has his hand wrapped around her arm and she's trying to walk away from him, she looks angry and I wonder what they could have been arguing about. Gale spins her back to him and for a moment they stare at each other until Gale drops his head low and presses his lips against hers.

I feel like I've been kicked in the stomach and I can't breathe. I watch them for a few seconds making sure that what I'm seeing is real. Katniss doesn't pull away and neither does Gale, he wanted this. He was the one that kissed her, not the other way around, but it doesn't seem like she didn't want this either.

I back up quickly and close the doors to the Hob. I hurry past all the people outside and almost run back to the house in the Seam. If I could run all the way to District Four I would, I would run home right now and tell Finnick that I feel so betrayed and my brother would make sure that nothing like this would ever happen again. I can't do that though and I shouldn't be so dependent on a family that cannot help me all the way over here. I had to deal with this on my own.

I push open the door to the house and don't bother hanging up my coat or taking my gloves off. I just grab my basket for the laundry that needs to be delivered and decide that I'm not going to be here when Gale gets back. Even though it's Sunday, working right now feels better than letting my mind wander back at the silent house in the Seam. The Town is bustling the same way the Hob had been, only here you find families and children running around playing games.

I deliver the clothes and glad when I stop by the butcher's place it's Hattie's husband working and not her. He's never talked my ear off, we just exchange a few friendly words and I'm on my way again. I take the long way back, my running into Town not taking nearly as long as I had wanted it to. The long way takes me through the back roads of the District so that I'm walking alongside the fence that is supposed to keep the animals from the woods out, but as I walk I find that the woods seem peaceful and that maybe the fence is really just here to keep us in.

Gale is sitting at the dining room table when I return. He's flipping through my photo album and I suddenly feel like snatching it from him, no longer wanting him to know that part of my life anymore. "Hi." I say tersely and Gale looks up and nods his head to me.

"I didn't think you were going to work today." He says and I shrug my shoulders. I should have known that he wasn't going to tell me, but the thought that he isn't makes me feel even more betrayed. He doesn't even look the least bit guilty.

"Well, I wasn't just to wait around and do nothing while you were gone." I say and Gale licks his lips before standing up.

"Should we go then?" He asks and I shrug my shoulders, "Something wrong Norah?"

"No, nothing's wrong. Let's just go." I say tersely and Gale nods grabbing his coat off the hook and following me out the door. "I thought Katniss was coming with us." I say and Gale looks over at me, his eyes a little wide.

"She already took her halves of the trade and she had to go home and help Prim with something." Gale says and I lift a brow, looking down at my shoes.

"Hmm, too bad. I was looking forward to getting to know her better." I say before glancing over at Gale. He doesn't react, just continues to walk.

I just want him to admit it to me; the fact that he doesn't even seem bothered by it at all angers me to the point where I want to scream at him. I keep my cool though as we walk, but I also keep my distance.

The Hob is still quite busy when we arrive but the people who were hanging around outside are now inside. Gale holds open the door for me and I walk in, my eyes widening at everyone bustling around and talking loudly. The Hob has a more festive feel than the Town and it seems like everyone knows each other and accepts each other.

"People from the Seam are like a big family." Gale says and I smile a little at him before I remember that I'm angry at him and I turn away again. "Come on, there are some pretty decent coats over here."

I follow him over to a stand and start to dig through the long-sleeved shirts. I find a few that will be decent after I wash them and sew some new buttons on them. Gale finds me a thick pair of gloves and even though they're a little big I find that I like them better the old ones with the holes in the palms. "I still need a coat."

"Yeah, I think there are a few good coats hanging on that rack. You go look at them and I'm going to see if there's anything I can use to fix that window." Gale says and I nod, walking over to the rack.

Gale stops me and I turn to face him, his grey eyes meet mine and I search for any sign of remorse, any kind of sign that he feels guilty, but there's nothing. His eyes are as cold as ice and I wonder if they've always been like that and I was just blinded by the fact that I wanted a marriage like my parents and my Finnick and Annie so I never noticed how much he didn't like me. That couldn't be true though, he's been so kind for the past three weeks, and maybe he's just realized how much I am not Katniss and he just can't get used to the fact that I'm someone he can't lose so easily.

I shake the thoughts from my mind and feel my eyes glance over to the corner where Gale had kissed Katniss. The hurt and anger flares inside of me and I turn away grabbing a navy blue coat with large black buttons, it's actually very warm but smells like dust and I sneeze when I pull it on.

It's strange being bundled up in a heavy coat. The warmest thing I ever had to wear in District Four was thin sweaters and mid sleeved shirts. The only reason I even had a real jacket was because my dad was a fishermen and sometimes when you were on the boat the winds mixed with the cool mist from the oceans cold be fierce and could chill you to the bone.

I don't think District Four shops even carried coats like this. We never needed to be protected from weather like snow or even a lot of rain. The weather in Four was always sunny or overcast but always warm and sometimes even humid.

"Is that the one you want?" Gale asks and I nod my head, following him so that he can pay for my new clothes. "Is something wrong Norah?"

_I saw you kissing Katniss. _The words are right there on my lips but I can't get my voice to work and I just shake my head. Gale frowns at me but leaves it alone, turning back to the person to trade with.

"Did you get supplies to fix the window?" I ask as Gale and I walk through the Hob. I glance at the different setups and wonder how people have even accumulated all of this.

"Yep, I'll start working on it tonight." Gale says and I nod my head, tucking a loose hair behind my ear. "What's wrong Norah?"

"Nothing's wrong." I say as Gale stops in front of a stand. The older woman Greasy Sae is behind the counter and she smiles at me.

"Two, bowls Sae." Gale says as he pulls up two stools, one for me and one for him. "Greasy Sae makes the best stew in the District." She places two bowls in front of us and when I grab for my spoon, Gale grabs my wrist. "What happened to your hands?"

"It's just from the washing and the cold weather, they're dry and chapped." I say as I pull my wrist out of his hand, "I'm fine."

Gale is stares at me and when I don't look back up at him he turns away from me. I sip on my stew and I have to admit it is one of the best things I've tasted. "I see you found your husband, you left so fast earlier I didn't think you saw him in here."

"I don't know what you're talking about." I say and Greasy Sae lifts a brow at me.

"You were earlier this morning." Greasy Sae says and Gale looks at me, but I shake my head keeping my face cool with a small smile.

"No, it must have been some other red head." I say and Greasy Sae shrugs her shoulders before giving me a toothy grin.

"I guess so." She says and I sigh in relief, but one glance at Gale I can tell he's not convinced.

I watch Gale cook dinner. He moves slowly and I wonder if he's thinking about the kiss, I know I am. The entire scene keeps playing out in my head and I can't focus on the book in front of me. He glances at me and our eyes meet and I look away from his awkwardly, trying to seem like I had been reading this whole time.

"Dinners ready." He says and I sit for a few seconds tying to seem like I'm finishing my page in the book. I've been reading _Oliver Twist, _but I just can't get into it tonight there's too much going on in my mind. "Norah?" Gale calls bringing me back to reality.

I look up, blinking a few times wondering what I can possibly say to him over dinner, maybe I won't have to say anything. "We should go to see Mrs. Everdeen, get something for your hands. They look painful."

"No, I'm fine." I say and Gale lifts a brow at me.

"Are you sure you're ok? You've barely spoken to me all day." Gale says and I shrug my shoulders, keeping my eye on my plate.

"I have nothing to say to you." I say and Gale leans back in his chair, it creaks under the weight.

"What's that supposed to mean? Are you mad at me?" He asks and I look at him, tilting my head a little.

"Would I have a reason to be mad at you Gale?" I ask and he licks his lips, there's a slight change of emotion in his eyes.

"I don't think so." He says and I shake my head at him, a bitter smile forming on my lips. "Why don't you tell me what I did?"

"I saw you." I say keeping my eyes downcast on my plate of food that I've barely touched.

"You saw me what?" He asks and I stand up, angrily. My char scraping against the floor, it's an awful sound and causes Gale to grit his teeth.

"You kissed Katniss, Gale! At the Hob, I saw you." I say and Gale flinches looking down at his feet.

"What were you doing at the Hob Norah?" He asks and I stare at him, waiting for him to look up. When he does he can't meet my eyes.

"That's all you can say? 'What were you doing at the Hob Norah?' What were you doing kissing Katniss for?" I ask and Gale stands up slowly, his height which is usually intimidating doesn't scare me now. I'm too upset to be scared by him.

"It doesn't concern you." He says and I look down, "What happens between Katniss and me has nothing to do with you."

"Yes it does, because Gale, whether you like it or not I'm your wife. Whether you want me here or not, I'm stuck here. I didn't choose to come here and I didn't choose to marry you. I don't want to be here as much as you don't want me here." I say and Gale stays silent, "You're an idiot, do you realize what would happen if the Peacekeepers had caught you?"

"I'm an idiot? Really Norah, do you know what it's like to be in love with someone and know you can't have them? So maybe I am an idiot but I had to kiss her at least one time because I will never have the chance to be with someone I love again." He says and I take a step backwards, when he realizes what he said he rubs his face, beginning to say something else.

So Gale doesn't think he could love me. The truth behind his words are so painful that I feel them burn in my chest. "I do know what it's like to love someone. I have- had someone back home, but I just hoped that maybe we could learn to love each other too."

"You can only really love one person." Gale answers and I feel my chin quiver.

"Fine, fine." I say as I walk past him and into the bedroom. I close the door and slide the lock into place. The room is still freezing because the window is still broken.

I slide down the door and bury my face into my hands. I try to keep my sobs as silent as possible but I know Gale's trained hunters ears will still hear me no matter how silent I try to be. There's a crash in the kitchen and I wonder which plate or pan he through onto the ground. I try to convince myself that he's angry because he upset me, but I know that he's angry because of me. If it wasn't for me he could happily be with his sweetheart, but I was here and we are both stuck in a marriage that should have never happened in the first place.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what you think!


	11. Chapter 11

I awkwardly shuffle around Gale in the kitchen, trying to fix his lunch while he puts some leftovers on his plate for breakfast. We've barely spoken to each other for a week, just words that we have to say to each other, like how our day was and he always asks if my hands are ok. They hurt a lot, but I keep telling them that they're fine because I don't want to go to the Everdeen house.

I would avoid Katniss for the rest of my life if I could and I can if I just avoid her until she's contracted to another District in two years. I sigh because that's not going to happen, she's still Gale's best friend but the thought of her leaving does make me feel a bit better. I smile to myself a little when I think of all the different ways I could make Katniss feel uncomfortable.

"Norah?" Gale asks and I jump turning to face him, "You're going to cut through the cutting board."

I look down at my knife and at Gale's already cut sandwich and find myself completely surprised because I don't understand how I didn't realize I cut through the sandwich already. I shake my head and put the knife gently on the cutting board before wrapping Gale's sandwich in wax paper and placing it into his lunch pail.

"Can you please just go to Mrs. Everdeen's house today? You're hands look terrible." Gale says and I close his lunch pail with a bit more force than needed.

"I told you that they're fine Gale." I say before handing his lunch pail to him.

"And I know you're just lying trying to avoid Katniss." Gale answers before swiping the lunch pail from my hands, "Stop being stubborn and get those looked at before they get infected."

"They're not going to get infected; besides, they don't even hurt." I say and Gale grabs my hands and squeezes them. The chapped skin breaks on my knuckles and starts to bleed. I cringe, but not because he squeezes them hard but because any touch hurts them.

I pull my hands from his grasp and push him backwards. "So they don't hurt right?" He asks and I just stare at him.

"You're such an ass, Gale." I say before grabbing the dishrag off the counter and patting the broken skin with it to stop the bleeding.

"I'm stopping by the Everdeen's and telling Mrs. Everdeen to come see you." Gale says and I glare at him.

"Don't do that." I say and he rolls his eyes as he gathers his stuff for work.

"Then promise me you'll go today." Gale says and I cross my arms over my chest.

"I don't have to promise you anything." I answer and he licks his lips before taking a deep breath and I can tell he's trying to keep his temper under control.

"You're the most stubborn and annoying person I've ever come into contact with. Either you go and see Mrs. Everdeen today or I swear to god Norah I will drag you down there when I get home from work." He growls and I glare at him even though I know he's telling the truth and I know he'll most likely drag me to her house. The thought of that would be funny if I wasn't so angry at him.

"You can't make me do anything I don't want to do." I say because I don't know how to reply to his ultimatum and he squeezes the handle on his lunch pail.

"Watch me." He says evenly before opening the door to the house and walking out.

I mutter at him under my breath. In anger I turn too quickly and hit my hand on the doorframe. I out in pain and bite my lip as the pain shoots up my arm and causes my eyes to water. I look over my shoulder and see Gale smirking at me triumphantly. "Fine, I'll go!"

"I wrote the address for you. It's sitting on the table." Gale says before turning away with his smirk growing and walking down the long dirt road with the rest of the miners.

I shift my clothes uncomfortably and fix my hair again before knocking lightly on the Everdeen door. The connection with the hard door with my knuckles hurts terribly and I hold my breath into the pain passes. It's a few moments until a woman with blonde answers with a smile.

"Hello Norah." She says and I smile at her a little uncomfortably, how did she know who I was? "Gale told me you would be stopping by."

"Of course he did." I mutter and she smiles before nodding her head for me to follow her inside.

The Everdeen house is a tad bit bigger than mine because she has three cots set up in the corner for where she heals the patients that come to her. The house smells clean and sterile and it brings up memories of the time I had to go to the Healer back in District Four after the dog bit me. The memory is usually fuzzy the smell brings it back in quick flashes. How it felt when the dog's teeth sunk into me, the way the blood from my arm stained everything, but mostly I remember the smell of the Healer's house because I found it so strange because I couldn't depict what made it up. It was easy to focus on the smell as she had stitched my arm back up.

"Oh my goodness, look at your hands." Mrs. Everdeen says with a frown as she takes them into hers gently, "Oh Norah, dear you should have come to see me earlier."

"They- they didn't hurt before." I say and she shakes her head at me as she makes a 'tsk' noise with her tongue.

"There is no way these didn't hurt." Mrs. Everdeen states before standing up and moving over to her medicine cabinet. "I'm going to have to put a salve on them and wrap them up, you won't be able to work for at least week."

"Oh, no I have to work. Hazelle can't do all that work herself." I say and Mrs. Everdeen starts to mix together a few ingredients for the salve.

"Well you have to give those hands a break. It's only for a week with the bandages and then I'll have a lotion you can put on them to keep the moistened after you're done with work every day, perhaps get some rubber gloves to protect them for when you're doing the laundry." Mrs. Everdeen says and I chew my lip.

"But I can't not work." I say and Mrs. Everdeen looks over at me with a slight smile.

"I'm sorry Norah, but if you want those hands of yours to get better you'll just have to take a break for a week." Mrs. Everdeen answers before grabbing a roll of gauze and the bowl with the salve. The mix smells bitter and I crinkle my nose.

I watch Mrs. Everdeen work as she gently applies the salve to my cracked and swollen hands and then wraps them gently in the clean bandage. As she works she has a face of concentration, her eyebrows furrow together and she only focuses on what is in front of her. Her touch is gently and I can tell that she takes her job very seriously.

"There now." She says after she ties up the bandage and moves onto packing up the salve in a jar for me and packing some clean bandages for me. "Make sure to change them every morning."

"Thank you." I say as I look down at her handiwork. The salve is cooling on my hands and I feel relieved because I didn't realize how uncomfortable I really was before she treated them.

"So you're from District Four?" Mrs. Everdeen asks and I nod my head, she smiles warmly and walks over to the kitchen pulling two cups down and pouring cold tea into them.

"Yes, Ma'am." I say and she smiles, putting a cup in front of me. "Are you from there?" I ask hopefully and she shakes her head.

"No, I was born and raised in District One." Mrs. Everdeen says and I nod my head sipping on the tea in front of me. "Haymitch's oldest son was sent there though."

"Haymitch must be your husband?" I ask and she nods her head slowly her eyes staring at her cup.

"Yes, my second husband. Katniss and Prim's father died in the same mining accident that Gale's father did." Mrs. Everdeen says sadly and I shift uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry to hear that." I say and she smiles at me, "How come you had to remarry but Hazelle didn't?"

"Well Hazelle had already met quota, I hadn't. They matched me with Haymitch because he had two sons and I had two daughters." Mrs. Everdeen says and I tilt my head curiously, "See by us marrying we had met the quota of four children and his sons would have a mother and my daughter would have a father. Hazelle didn't have to marry because she already had four children, so her family was complete."

"Right, but doesn't the Capitol usually match people with those who have the best possible genes?" I ask and Mrs. Everdeen smiles warmly at me.

"You're very curious Norah." She says with a smile and I blush because I forgot that I must remember how to hold my tongue, "The Capitol will match up the younger generations for perfect matches but as you get older, genes become less important and they just try to make things even."

"Oh." I say and Mrs. Everdeen shakes her head, the smile still on her face. "I'm sorry for asking questions about your personal life."

"It's good to ask questions." Mrs. Everdeen says and I smile, "I haven't had a person to just sit down and talk to in a while."

I stay for a while longer and realize that school is going to get out soon which means Katniss will be there soon. So I make the excuse that I need to talk to Hazelle about work before hurrying out of the house, thanking her again for the salve and bandages. She reminds me that I need to come back in a week to get the lotion and I promise her I will.

At the Hawthorne house the boys are already home from school. Rory is sitting outside on the front lawn with Primrose and when he sees me he waves. "Hi Norah."

"Hi Rory, hello Primrose." I say and she smiles shyly at me.

"Hello Norah, what happened to your hands?" She asks, sounding genuinely concerned and I wonder how she could possibly end up so different from Katniss.

"The cold water and soap has done a number to them. I just got done seeing your mother, she said I should be as good as new by next week." I say and Primrose smiles.

"That's good to hear." She says and Rory nods in agreement.

"So you're not going to be able to help mom?" He asks, sounding worried and I place one of my bandaged hands on top of his head of thick black hair.

"I'm going to deliver all the clothes for her and I'll be able to fold, I just have to keep my hands dry so that they can heal. I promise I'll help her in any way I can though." I say and he nods his head.

"Ok." He says and I smile at him before moving on inside of the house.

After explaining my predicament with my hands to Hazelle she smiles and shakes her head at me. "You're about as stubborn as Gale. It took me two weeks to talk him into going to see Mrs. Everdeen after sprained his wrist out in the woods. He made it worse for himself until finally it hurt so badly and I bugged him about it so much that he had to go."

"So you're not angry that I can't work?" I ask, completely ignoring her comparison of me to Gale. Hazelle shakes her head and smiles at me.

"Of course not dear, but now we know we can't put our injuries off right?" She asks and I nod my head, "Come on, you can fold and then pack up all these clothes and deliver them to Town for me."

It takes about three hours for Hazelle and I to get everything done. We keep getting distracted over little things like gossip that she heard at the market and small stories that I have from back home. I realize that Hazelle likes to hear about my life in District Four. She listens intently to them and I'm glad I have someone who likes to just listen to the random things I have to say.

At six thirty Rory and Primrose come walking inside and I smile at Prim who seems to be nervous. "What's wrong Prim?" Hazelle asks and Prim glances at the clock with a slight frown.

"Katniss was supposed to pick me up a half hour ago. My mom doesn't like me to walk alone when it starts to get dark." She says quietly and I bite my lip at how worried the little girl is.

"I'll walk you home Primrose, I have to pass by there anyways to deliver some laundry." I say and seems relieved that I offered, like she was afraid to ask me to begin with.

"Ok, we can go by Town first to drop off the important laundry so that you and Hazelle get paid." Primrose says sweetly and I smile at her as I grab my coat. She makes me miss my little sister and I have to swallow to keep the lump from building in my throat.

"Sounds like a plan, come on. Let's hurry before it gets really dark." I say and she nods grabbing the smaller lighter basket of the two and following me out the door.

Prim talks about school the entire time and I realize she's a lot more enthusiastic about it then Persi ever was. I have a funny feeling that she'll end up being like me, confused about everything because the Capitol wants one thing but everyone else wants another. It's hard to find a good medium.

It's dark by the time we get back to the Seam and I really hope that Mrs. Everdeen isn't angry for me keeping Prim out. When we walk in through the front door, she smiles in relief at us. "I was starting to get worried."

"I'm sorry I kept her for so long, but Katniss was late and she was worried." I say and Mrs. Everdeen waves it off.

"I wasn't too worried. I'm sure you took good care of her." Mrs. Everdeen says and I hear a snort from the doorway of the bedroom.

I look over and find Katniss glaring at me. "You should have just let her stay at the Hawthorne's I was only a half hour late."

"You were an hour late." Prim says softly before disappearing into the bedroom.

"I just wanted to make sure she got home safely." I say and Katniss rolls her eyes.

"She would have, I would have picked her up. You had no business taking her all the way into Town." Katniss says and I just stare at her, "You have no business with any part of our lives."

"Well, then it's a good thing I'm not married into your family then isn't it? I'm sorry if I inconvenienced you in anyway, but your sister was nervous so I told her I would walk her home." I say and Katniss just continues to glare.

"I don't understand why your still here. You brought my little sister home and now you can leave." Katniss says and I keep my head.

"Of course, thank Mrs. Everdeen again for the salve and I'm sorry Primrose home so late." I say and Mrs. Everdeen smiles.

"It's fine dear." She says and Katniss shoots her mom a glare before her piercing eyes land on me again.

"No it's not, she-" Katniss begins to say and Mrs. Everdeen shakes her head.

"That's enough Katniss; Primrose is my daughter, not yours and if I say something is alright, than it is alright." Mrs. Everdeen says and Katniss just looks at her mother coolly. The conversation reminds me of the many ones I had with my own mom about me not trying to dictate Persi's life.

Perhaps Katniss and I did have something in common after all.

I say an awkward goodbye and hurry out of the house. It's dark and cold out and I tighten my jacket around me. I walk slowly home, not really paying attention to any of my surrounding until I hear the low whistle. The sound makes my skin crawl and my blood to run cold. I look over my shoulder and I wish I hadn't because I realize how close the Peacekeeper is.

I'm so close to home, but he corners me before I can make it. His hand gripping my arm before he pushes me into a side ally, he's strong and I can already feel the bruise forming at the place where he grabbed me. "If you scream, things will get very bad very quickly." He says and my eyes land on the gun that is strapped to his back. He could kill me, he has the power to kill me and thought itself is so terrifying that I forget how to breathe, let alone scream.

I try to put on a brave face but all I know he can see right through it because his smile grows. I look down at my shoes as the Peacekeeper circles around pushes me farther into the corner of the ally. At that moment I suddenly find myself wishing, praying that Gale is out looking for me. But the chances of that, I believe to be are very low. We're angry at each other and he's probably not even worried about my whereabouts are. He's probably sitting at the dining room table eating dinner or sitting by the fire reading, not even thinking about me.

I hope he is thinking about me tough, or perhaps he's already out looking for me. I really hope is.


	12. Chapter 12

The Peackeeper begins to unbutton my coat and I finally am able to get ky mind working again. I inhale to scream but he covers my mouth with his hand, giving me the perfect moment to bite him, hard. He swears and slams me up against the hard wall. It hurts and makes me dizzy but I fight to stay conscious.

I push him back and finally find my voice to yell, "Help!" It's so desperate and I keep yelling for help until the Peacekeeper is able to silence me by stuffing a handkerchief into my mouth and then putting my hands down to my side.

"Do you want to die?" He asks and I shake my head, feeling the tears sting my eyes. "Then I would stop if I were you."

His hand then goes back to slowly unbuttoning my coat and I close my eyes. There's a brief moment of silence before the pressure of the Peacekeeper is ripped away from me. I hear a thud of a fist landing into someone stomach and I open my eyes to find Gale, holding the Peacekeeper by his collar.

Gale is a good foot taller than him and in better shape because he works in the mines. The Peacekeepr doesn't stand a fighting chance, especially since Gale caught the guy off guard. He has a steely grip on the Peacekeepers collar and then lands a good punch into the man's face. There's a sickening crunch and I know Gale's broken his nose.

Gale lets him go and the Peacekeeper stumbles backwards, teetering and attempting to stay upright, but I know the blow to his face was hard enough that he's dizzy and most likely trying to stay conscious. "You have no right to touch my wife or anyone like that. Now if I were you, I would get out of here before I decide to break your neck."

The Peacekeeper takes Gale's threat seriously but not before turning around and saying, "Just you wait Hawthorne." He then spits blood onto the sidewalk and I can't help but wonder how many teeth Gale knocked loose with that one punch.

"Norah? You ok?" He asks before walking slowly over to me like I'm some kind of injured animal. I nod my head and struggle to button up my coat again. "Do you want me to help you?" I shake my head and sniffle, my fear really starting to get to me.

"He's not coming back." Gale says reassuringly and I look at him, the tears starting to break and slip down my cheeks. I didn't want to cry in front of him, but I couldn't help it.

"He threatened you. He knows and they'll come back." I say and Gale takes a step towards me.

"Don't worry about that right now. Are you ok?" Gale says before reaching out for me and even though I was still upset at him. The fear of the Peacekeeper returning is too much for me and I slip under his protective arm.

He holds me close to him and we walk quickly home. "You're not hurt are you?" He asks when we're safely inside. He makes sure to lock the front door and then the window in the kitchen. When I don't answer right away he looks at me and says, "Norah, talk to me."

"I'm fine." I say even though my voice quivers. I sit down on the couch and curl into a little ball, leaning my head against the arm rest and watching him move swiftly around the kitchen. He heats up a small bowl of soup for me and then pours a steaming cup of mint tea.

"You need to eat something." He says before sitting next to me and I shake my head, "Please Norah, just have a few bites and then you can go to bed." I feel like he's treating me like a small child but I'm too confused to really say anything. My head and back hurt too much from the Peacekeeper slamming me against the wall.

"My head hurts." I say and Gale slips his hand gently to the back of my head. His hand feeling gently and I cringe when he brushes over a bump.

"You've got a pretty big bump." Gale says and he stands up showing me his fingers that are covered in my blood, "I'm going to go get Mrs. Everdeen."

"You can't go back out there Gale; they'll be looking for you." I say trying to stand up and Gale pushes me gently by the shoulder to sit back down.

"You're hurt Norah. I don't know what to do, this could be serious. It's a head injury and-"

"I'm fine Gale." I say and he seems unsure, "I'll go see Mrs. Everdeen tomorrow since I can't work for the rest of the week."

"How are your hands?" He asks and I spoon some of the stew into my mouth.

"Better than my head." I say and Gale looks towards the door like he wants to leave and I stop him, by putting a hand on his. "Please just stay here. I don't want them to get you too."

"Fine, but I'm staying up with you." Gale says and I make a face at him.

"You have work tomorrow." I say and Gale shakes his head.

"I think I can afford to miss a day."

The night is terrible, my head hurts throughout the night and my back hurts too much for me to get comfortable. Gale tries his best to make me comfortable but I can't sleep because my head is throbbing in the back. I finally drift off into a light doze, my head pounding even in sleep.

I wake up way before it's time to get up in the morning because of a biting pain in the back of my head. It's freezing even though I'm wrapped up in all the blankets. Gale isn't in bed and even though I am angry at him I let him sleep in the bed because the couch is lumpy and he has work. He's not here though and I can't help but feel a little nervous because where could he possibly be at three in morning?

_The Peacekeepers could have got him, or he's with Katniss._ The vicious voice in my head hisses and I sit up, shaking my head in an attempt to silence the voice.

I crawl out of the bed, my teeth beginning to chatter from the cold air from the stupid broken window. My feet feel as if they're going to freeze to the floorboards and I pull the top quilt off the bed and wrap it around myself tightly. I walk slowly to the living room and try not to step on any of the creaky boards. I don't want Gale to hear me but since he has super human hearing the second I take a step into the living room his head snaps up and his eyes meet my gaze.

We stare at each other for a few moments before he turns back and looks at the dying fire in our fireplace. "Why are you awake so early?" I ask and he continues to stare at the fire.

"Couldn't sleep. Why are you up so early?" He asks and I pull the quilt over my shoulders more.

"It's freezing." I answer before shivering violently. He scoots over, making a place in front of the fireplace for me. He turns to look back at me and I think about returning to the bedroom but it's so warm in here that I can't bring myself to leave so I suck in a deep breath and sit next to him, as far away as I can manage.

Since I'm still angry and I'm sure he is too we just sit in silence watching the embers in the fire die out slowly. The fire glows a burning red, but it's warm even though I'm still freezing it feels nice to thaw out a little. I shiver for a second and Gale gets up, grabbing the blanket off the couch and draping it over my shoulders, "It's just going to get colder." He says and I groan, causing the corners of his mouth to turn up a little at me.

I stay silent, the only sound in the room is the sputtering and popping of the fire. It crackles for a few moments before Gale finally says, "I'm sorry. I never wanted to make you feel uncomfortable or feel like you're not wanted here. I never planned to kiss Katniss and it just kind of happened and I wished I could have told you instead of you witnessing it."

"Would you have told me though?" I ask looking at him and Gale continues to stare at the fire, "Because you had all day to tell me, but I was still the one to bring it up."

"I know and I'm sorry. I really am Norah and I-"

"I appreciate your apology Gale but I can't forgive you, not yet." I say cutting off whatever he wants to tell me. "The only thing I really want is to be happy here and I want my children- our children to be happy with parents that actually get along and it'll be really hard for me to be happy if I know that you're seeing Katniss behind my back."

"The kiss was and will be a onetime thing. I feel terrible about it, like I lost your trust before you even really let me have it. I also never meant to tell you that I could never love you, because I'm sure I could grow into loving you but it's just going to be hard."

"I understand, because how could you ever love me like you do Katniss. I'm nothing like her, I'm not independent or brave like her. Compared to Katniss I'm actually kind of dull." I say and Gale smirks at the fire.

"I don't think you're dull and you shouldn't be comparing yourself to Katniss anyways. I don't think I could even love a girl if she was exactly like Katniss." Gale says with a sigh before poking the fire, "I guess that's confusing."

"No, it's because I'm not Katniss and I understand that. I don't think I could ever really fall for you the same way I did for Sinon, even if you were as happy go lucky as he was. You wouldn't be him, and it's not the same." I say and Gale nods his head slowly.

We sit in silence again and I work up the courage to say in a hushed whisper, "I could never love you like I did Sinon, but I can love you for being Gale. I'm willing to do that, but you have to be willing to love me for being Norah."

"How can I love you for being Norah, when you're not even really sure who she is?" Gale says and I swallow the lump building in my throat.

"And how can I ever love someone who is such a pessimist and makes everything in the world seem so ugly?" I ask as I turn to face him. He licks his lips and leans back from me, tilting his head. "I'm willing to try though and I think that's what makes us so different. I'm accepting the change that is happening in our life and you're still trying to hold on, but you can't please everyone Gale."

"Are you giving me an ultimatum? That it's either you or Katniss?" He asks and I shake my head.

"I would never make you pick me over your best friend. That would never be fair, but I just want you to remember that at the end of the day I am your wife. That it's going to be me in the bed that you sleep in and me making sure your household runs smoothly. I'm also going to be the mother or your children and Katniss, she'll be gone in two years. Married in another District and that will be it, she'll be gone and I'll be here."

"And you're calling me a pessimist." He says sarcastically and I roll my eyes.

"No I'm being a realist." I say and Gale slouches his shoulders, "I'm really trying here Gale and I want to grow to love you but you're so damn stubborn and I feel like you don't even want to try to make this work."

"Of course I want to make this work, but I feel like your shoving this whole marriage and love and children crap down my throat. I'm still trying to get used to the fact that I have a wife and that I live in a house without my siblings. I want this work out, but I want it to happen naturally I don't want to force myself to fall in love with you because I have to, because the Capitol is breathing down our necks. I want to fall in love with you on our own terms and really fall in love with you, like how Sinon fell for you or how I fell for Katniss. I want it to be real, like how my parents loved each other and how I'm sure your parents do." Gale says and I look at him, kind of not believing what I hear but I can see the honesty in his eyes.

"I didn't mean to shove everything at you. I'm scared because I know what happens to those who don't obey what the Capitol wants." My voice cracks and I think of Elise and the gun against her head. I think of the gunshot echoing through the town square and Persi screaming into my chest. I think about my friend lifeless on the ground and I cover my face with my hands.

"I know what they can do to people, trust me. I'm not scared of them though because I haven't done anything to make them suspicious." Gale says and I bring my face out of my hands and look back at the fire.

"What about the quota? The law states that you have to have your first born or be pregnant with your first born by the first year." I say and Gale puts a hand on my shoulder and squeezes me reassuringly.

"We'll figure something out, for now don't worry about that and lets just worry about us, ok?" He asks and I nod my head, still feeling the stress of everything in the future weighing down on my shoulders.

"So where does this leave us?" I ask and Gale shrugs his shoulders.

"I have an idea, what are you doing next Sunday?" He asks and I shrug my shoulders.

"Work." I answer and he chuckles.

"I want to take you somewhere." He says, "And I promise I won't be late."

"And you won't be kissing Katniss?" I ask and he smiles a little.

"I promise, no more kissing Katniss." He says and I nod my head, looking back towards the fire and smiling a bit. He chuckles and nudges me with his elbow, maybe things could work out for us.

When it's finally morning, I get up and Gale walks me slowly to the Everdeen household.

I'm not hungry and Gale seems worried. As we walk he runs into Thom and tells his friend that we had an _accident_. The way Gale growls the word though I know Thom catches on right away that this wasn't an accident. Thom's eyes darken like Gale's and he licks his lips, "Let me know if I can do anything for you."

The Everdeen household is warm when we walk inside and Mrs. Everdeen seems surprised when she sees us. "I didn't expect you back so soon Norah." She says as Gale sits me on a chair and her eyes narrow on the spot on my head. "What happened?"

"Peacekeeper." Gale says before looking at her with emotionless eyes.

Mrs. Everdeen looks at me with panicked eyes as she traces my body, "I found her before he could do anything." Gale says with disgust in voice and Mrs. Everdeen cups my face into her hands.

"Let see what the damage is ok." She whispers to me and I nod my head as she begins to feel the back of my head. She works on me for a while and I continue to cringe each time her fingers touch the tender spot on my head. "Was it bleeding a lot last night?"

"No, only for a bit. I was able to stop it with a washcloth." Gale says and Mrs. Everdeen nods her head. "Is she ok?"

"She's fine Gale. I'm just going to wrap it up and give her some herbs for the pain." Mrs. Everdeen says before moving slowly back to her medicine cabinet. I smile at Gale sheepishly and the corners of his mouth lift a bit, but he looks so worried.

It's just in Gale's nature to worry about the people in his family. He has a big heart even if he doesn't open it to many people, at that moment I could see it more clearly. Our moment is broken when the bedroom door is open and Katniss and Primrose file out. Primrose looks at me questionably and tilts her head when she sees the bandages.

"Are you alright Norah?" She asks and I smile at her. I didn't want to nod my head because the movement hurt and I didn't want to talk because the pain from the back of my head was radiating to my jaw now.

"She's fine Prim; she just had a little accident walking home last night." Gale says, "She isn't very graceful on her feet like some of us." Gale teases trying to keep the mood light and not directed to what really happened to me.

"That doesn't surprise me." Katniss says before jumping up on the counter and shooting a look in my direction.

"Katniss." Gale says in a low voice and she directs the look at him. "Let's try to be nice today."

I feel my cheeks turn pink at the idea that Gale is sticking up for me in front of Katniss and I'm glad he is. "Gale, don't you have work?" Katniss asks and Gale licks his lips, staring at her.

"I'm taking the day off for Norah." Gale answers and Katniss lifts a brow before getting up and grabbing her school bag.

"Come on Prim." She says at the door before walking out. Primrose follows after her quickly and Gale watches her go. He seems conflicted, but stays at my side and I'm grateful because I'm starting to feel a little dizzy.

"I think that's all I can do for her right now. Just keep an eye on her Gale, let her sleep but wake her up every hour." Mrs. Everdeen says and Gale nods his head, reaching his hand out to help me up from the chair.

I lean against him so that I don't topple over from dizziness.

I figured the Peacekeepers would come after Gale that night, but they don't. The week actually passes pretty silently with just Gale and me trying to work out things that have happened in the past two weeks. I'm not angry at him anymore, because how could I be when he saved me. Gale doesn't act like I'm a nuisance anymore to him either and we seem to be getting along a lot better.

"Can you help me?" I ask him as I try to stand on the wobbly stool to hand up the wet clothes I had just washed. Even on the stool I'm not tall enough to reach the clothesline that Gale strung rom one wall to the other in front of the fire place.

He clips the clothes to the pins with ease, not even needing the stool and I role my eyes when he smirks playfully at me. I nudge him in the ribs with my elbow.

"What is that smell?" He asks and I hold up my hands.

"The lotion Mrs. Everdeen gave me. It's terrible." I say and he crinkles his nose, causing me to smile.

"I was thinking about just having leftovers for dinner. We have a lot of stew left." Gale says before walking back to the kitchen. He always seems to break away from the little moments we have, like he's scared to have them with me, like he's still not ready to open up to me just yet.

I stoke the fire and turn back to find Gale looking out the window. His brows are furrowed heavily and he bites his lip, "I'm going to need you to go Thom's house ok."

"What?" I ask and Gale looks at me, a weary smile on his face like he's trying not to freak me out.

"I'm going to need you to go to Thom's." He says just as the Peacekeepers burst through our front door.

They grab him and gale doesn't put up a struggle knowing that it's going to make things worse for him. The Peacekeeper from that night looks at me and then strikes me across the face with the palm of his hand. Gale wasn't struggling before, but he is now. He breaks free from the Peacekeepers for a split second, giving him just enough time for his fist to make contact with the Peacekeeper who's nose is already broken from that night in the ally.

The Peacekeepers grab him again and one of them lifts their club and hits him hard on the back. "Stop it!" I shriek, trying to get to Gale but the Peacekeeper from that night holds me back and the other two Peacekeepers lead him out of the house.

"You better keep your mouth shut. Your husband will be back tomorrow." The Peacekeeper says and I wait a few minutes until running to Thom's house.

I don't bother knocking on their door and don't feel the least bit bad when I burst in on their dinner. "They took him." I say surprisingly evenly and Thom gets up, his chair making a scraping noise against the hardwood floors.

"Stay here Norah." He says before pressing a kiss to the top of Bristle's head and then putting on his coat.

"Be safe Thom." Bristle says as her husband disappears out the door and into the night, "Sit down Norah."

"Where is he going?" I ask and Bristle hands me a plate so that I can eat even though I'm not the least bit hungry.

"The men know what to do when the Peacekeepers turn into big bullies. They'll find him, I wouldn't worry about it." Bristle says and I cover my face with my hands.

"This is all my fault." I say and Bristle puts a hand on my shoulder.

"No it's not. The Peacekeeper's have no right to lay a hand on you and Gale has every right to make sure that they don't hurt you." Bristle says and I keep my face in my hands.

"They also have no right to take him." I say and Bristle sighs.

"I know Norah, but this is how it is. He'll be fine, believe me. This happens more than it should." Bristle says and I sigh into my hands, feeling the tears prick my eyes. We were having such a nice evening too.

Thom brings Gale in through the front door around midnight. I had let Bristle go to bed because she's just so pregnant and I didn't want this to dress her out, it wasn't fair for her. Gale is leaning against Thom with his arm slung over his buddy's shoulders and his other arm on his midsection.

I jump up from the couch and help Thom move Gale to the couch I had just been sitting on. Gale groans and I barely recognize him, he's beaten up so bad. I brush his hair back gently, trying to ignore the blood that's caked in his hair. I try to keep my face brave but I couldn't believe that the Peacekeepers that were surprisingly so tolerant here could do this much damage to him.

"I need to go get Mrs. Everdeen." I say and Gale lifts his hand up to me to take my hand into his.

"Just stay here with me." He says like I had told him when it was me attacked by the Peacekeepers, afraid that they would find him.

"You're in a lot worse shape than I was Gale." I say and his brows furrow together.

"I'll be fine." Gale says and I look over at Thom who nods his head in agreement.

"I think it's best for you to just clean him up and then we'll bring him to the Everdeen's tomorrow morning." Thom says before heading to a closet in the hallway to pull out blankets and pillows for me.

"Thank you Thom, for everything." I say and he grins at me.

"He would do the same thing for me." He answers before pointing to the cabinet and then at the bathroom. "You'll find everything you need for him in there."

I nod my head and watch him go to bed because he's still got work in the morning. Gale's eyes are closed and I watch his chest rise and fall slowly, making sure he's still breathing. I can't handle looking at him right now and just need a moment.

I walk to the bathroom and close the door, staring at myself in the mirror. I look so tired from everything that keeps happening and I can't help but think that this was not the marriage I wanted, not the life I wanted. There was nothing I could do though, so I splash some cold water on me, put on my brave face and go back out to Gale with a washcloth to see how I can make him comfortable for the night.

* * *

I hope you guys like this chapter. I'm going to start focusing on Norah and Gale's relationship again, but we will see Katniss in the next few chapters.

Let me know what you think!


	13. Chapter 13

I stay awake all night watching over Gale, he's in pain and there's nothing I can really do but brush his hair back and press a cold washcloth to the injuries that continue to bleed.

"I'm sorry." I say and Gale intakes a sharp breath and I know that he must have broken ribs.

"It's not your fault." Gale answers and I bite my lip to keep the quivering breath from escaping. I need to stay brave even though I'm terrified, for him mostly because the Peacekeepers could have really done some damage to him.

"Can I do something to make you more comfortable?" I ask and it takes a while for him to answer.

"No, but I think that you should get some sleep." Gale says and I feel my eyes begin to droop suddenly, now that he mentions it I am tired.

"I don't need to sleep." I say and even though he's injured, he still manages to roll his eyes. "I don't." I say and he pulls me down by the collar of my coat.

He stops me from pushing his hair back and forces me to rest my head against the couch. "Just sleep for a little bit."

"Gale." I say sitting back up and then resting my back against the couch. "Just let me take care of you tonight, ok."

"Just for tonight." He answers and I smile, turning so that I can lay my head against the couch. I want to stay close in case he needs me.

The night is long and I have no way to comfort him through his pain. Multiple times through the night I almost run to the Everdeen's because I fear that he's far worse off than I imagine, but every time I get up to leave he wakes up and asks where I'm going and I have to sit back down next to him. The Peacekeepers had really done a number on him and as the light begins to break in through the window I can finally see the shadowing and swollen bruises on his face. He's purple and I try not to seem horrified every time I look at him, but I really am.

"You look like you're going to be sick." Gale murmurs and I look down at him, finding the he can barely speak.

"You're not looking too good yourself." I say and he tries to smile and push himself up to a sitting position. His face turns a ghostly white and he slumps back onto the couch. He's still for a few moments and I can't bring myself to move at all. My heart pounds in my chest, the sound ringing in my ears, Gale's eyes open slowly and I exhale in relief. I didn't realize I had been holding my breath.

"We've got to go to Mrs. Everdeen." I say before picking up the washcloth that I had wrapped around a rather large gash on his upper arm.

I rinse the washcloth out in the sink, watching the blood swirl down the train. It reminds me of when I would clean the fish back in District Four, only this this time the blood is my husbands and not some fish that we'll be eating for dinner. It's my husbands and he could be so badly injured that the injuries could be long term or even fatal.

"Norah?" Thom says from the living room and I look up, feeling tears sting my eyes but I keep them at bay. I'm tired and the idea of something happening to Gale is just too much for me. I'm not worried about him leaving me, but it's his family that I worry about, they would never get along without him.

"Tank and I are going to move Gale to the Everdeen's." Thom says and I nod wringing out the washcloth and looking down at the sink.

Gale has left a bloody mess on their blankets and towels and I feel terrible. "Let me wash these for you." I say as I collect them.

"Don't worry about it Norah." Bristle says from the hallway. She has on a robe that barely covers her swollen stomach. It looks like she's about to have the baby any day. "You have a lot on your plate."

"Yes, but so do you." I say before gathering the blanket and towels, "Please I insist." I say and Bristle smiles at me warmly.

"You are probably one of the sweetest things in the world Norah." Bristle says and I smile, my eyes darting towards gale who's groaning because Thom, and the man Tank who I assume to be a neighbor, is lifting him off the couch.

I follow them out the door, ignoring the biting morning air. Mrs. Everdeen is awake when we arrive at their house and she gasps when she realizes that it's Gale. Tank and Thom place him on a cot that she set up quickly and I stand in the corner, trying not to be in the way as she gets to work.

"Norah, dear." Mrs. Everdeen says and I look up towards her, "I think your husband needs you."

My eyes land on Gale who has his eyes shut tight in pain, his jaw is clenched and every time Mrs. Everdeen touches him he cringes. I walk slowly to his side and take his hand into mine. He opens one eye to look at me and I smile halfheartedly at him. He tries to return it, but I shake my head at him, "Just- relax ok?"

"It's difficult." He says and I nod my head.

"I know, but Mrs. Everdeen is going to fix you up. You're going to be ok, I promise." I say and he licks his lips.

"Don't make promises that you can't keep." He tells me and I try not to roll my eyes at him.

"I'm not." I say and Mrs. Everdeen shows up at my side with a rather large needle.

"I just got in my monthly shipment of morpline." She says and my eyes widen as she shoots it into his arm.

He cringes at the sudden prick of the needle but it knocks him out soon enough. I know he can't feel me or even really knows that I'm there, but I keep my hand wrapped around his in case he wakes up again.

There's a good hour of silence as Mrs. Everdeen works on Gale and I really get a chance to study the woman who in some alternate universe would probably be Gale's mother in law. She has a worn out tired face, with dull blue eyes and blonde hair that she keeps back in a bun. There are loose pieces of blonde wisps that fall in front of her face and I wonder if they tickle her. She looks broken and I'm sure it's because of the fact that she lost her first husband in the mines. I'm sure that would break anybody.

The front door flies open and my eyes dart to Katniss. She looks angry when she throws her hunting bag down on the floor and kicks it to the side. "I didn't get any-" her eyes land on me and I cringe away from her.

There's a brief moment when I'm sure she's going to start screaming at me because she wasn't able to shoot anything hunting, like it's my fault somehow, but her eyes land on Gale and she seems at a loss for words. She walks slowly over to him and I tuck a loose piece of hair behind my ears before she says, "What did _you_ do?"

"I- I didn't do anything, the Peacekeeprs-" I begin to say but she starts to walk towards me and I jump up and back away from Gale, my chair, and her, terrified of what she might do to me.

"You probably did something to anger them!" She yells and I look down at my shoes, "You have ruined everything here. None of this would have ever happened if you had never come here. It's your fault."

"I-I didn't," I start to say but her little outburst has woken Gale out of his induced sleep. He stirs for a minute and whispers her name. She looks at me triumphantly and I shake my head, "I'm sorry." I say before running out of the Everdeen house.

I keep running even though I hear Mrs. Everdeen call after me and I don't stop running until I reach the Hawthorne house. The door is locked, but I knock heavily on it until Hazelle answers. "Norah?" She says with a yawn, her eyes widening when she sees the blood staining my clothes.

"He's at the Everdeen's." I say and Hazelle tilts her head.

"And why aren't you there?" She asks and I stare at her curiously, confused as to why she might be asking me that.

"Katniss is with him." I say as my chin quivers and she lifts a brow.

"Last time I checked you were married to my son, not Katniss." Hazelle says and I look down at my shoes.

"Yes, I am, but I shouldn't be. Katniss and Gale should be together." I say and Hazelle's brows knit together, it's the same look Gale gets when he's concentrating on something.

"You're a Hawthorne and Hawthorne's do not simply give up." She says and I cross my arms over my chest. My emotions running high because there doesn't seem to be anyone on my side.

"No, I'm an Odair." I snap before turning on my heels and walking away from the Hawthorne house and to town.

I wish that there is an ocean in District Twelve or at least a coastline that I can stare at. I wish I could just watch the rhythmic push and pull of the waves crashing onto the shore and then pulling back out, like an endless tug of war. I wish that I could run to my parents' house or to Finnick because one of them would know how to fix this mess that I'm in. I wish Persi was here to make me laugh and forget about the Hawthorne's and the Everdeen's. I wish for Margo because she would have a few choice words for Katniss that I could and would never say and I wish for Sinon, who would take the pain of everything away by just being there for me.

My wishes don't come true and I find myself in the only secluded area in the entire District. The cemetery in the corner, covered by countless amounts of trees and overgrown brush, there's no one here and I collapse into a bench breaking into heavy sobs because I don't even know what's going on anymore.

I could go to Hattie, but she wouldn't understand. She's in a happy marriage with a family and husband that understand her. She's also the only friend I have, so it makes sense to go to her, but I don't move. I just stay curled up into a ball on the bench, wishing for the day to end.

That wish doesn't come true either.

"Norah?" Someone says distantly before brushing a hand against my shoulder. I stir in annoyance because it's too early for my mother to be waking me up, "Norah?"

The voice isn't right and the brief moment of happiness I just felt is gone when I open my eyes and see a very pretty blonde with a clean face and nice clothes. It's Madge Undersee, the mayor's daughter and not my mother. A knot twists in my stomach and I try not to seem disappointed.

"Why are you asleep in the cemetery?" Madge asks and I rub my eyes, "And why are you all bloody?"

"It's not my blood." I say and her eyes widen.

"Is Gale alright?" She asks and start to spill everything to her, because I need to get it off my chest and she seems like the friendliest person in the world.

She sits next to me and listens to me as I speak hurriedly, trying not to break into tears again. When I finish the tale Madge takes my hand in hers and says, "You know what you need? A nice warm bowl of soup, some fresh clothes, and some tea."

"That all seems great Madge, but I'm hiding out in the cemetery for the rest of my life." I say and Madge smiles at me.

"Come on Norah." Madge says before pulling me to my feet, "I think Anita just made some fresh chicken soup."

"Who's Anita?" I ask and Madge lifts her brows up in a friendly way.

"My housekeeper and childhood Nannie." She says before we start to take the path back to her house.

My house is like a shack compared to the Mayor's mansion, but her and Anita make me feel at home. They comfort me and feed me some of the best food that I've ever had.

"Oh I wouldn't worry about any other women, dear. You're beautiful, any man can see that." Anita says after I explain the Katniss dilemma to her, "Just give him a chance to adjust to the married life and he'll come around."

"And don't worry about Katniss either." Madge says as she bites into another lemon biscuit, "She's intimidating yes, but like Gale she'll warm up to you two. Just give it some time and it seems like Gale is beginning to try, he did want to take you somewhere before he was attacked." Madge says and I smile at her.

"I guess so. It's just hard being the only Odair; the Hawthorne family is so different than my own." I say and Madge laughs.

"I think you're more like Gale than you realize." She answers and I shake my head, that wasn't true. I don't think I'm anything like him.

When I finish up at Madge's house and walk home slowly to change my clothes I feel so much better. It was nice to just talk to someone and Madge reminds me of a much sweeter, much calmer Margo.

When I get home the house is silent and as I change I feel like I should just stay there, but I remember the conversation Madge and I had over tea. She had said, "Don't let Katniss scare you, she gets territorial, but she'll back off once she realizes that you're serious."

I didn't need to stand up to Katniss; I just needed to show her that she didn't scare me.

The Everdeen house is rather quiet and when I walk in I find the cot that Gale had been laying on when I left is now hidden behind a curtain. My heart stops for a brief second but Primrose looks up from the couch and smiles reassuringly, "He's been asking for you. Katniss had looked for you for about two hours."

My eyes dart to Katniss who is sitting on her kitchen counter. "I was at Madge's." I say and Katniss lifts a brow.

"Didn't realize the two of you were friends." She says before jumping off the kitchen counter and walking to her bedroom, closing the door with a flick of her wrist.

I stare at the closed door for a moment and then at Primrose, she nods her head towards the curtain and I smile a bit towards her. I walk towards the curtain in pull it back slowly. Gale is bandaged up on his cot, when he hears the rings holding up the curtain pull back he opens the one eye that isn't covered and attempts to smile.

"I was wondering where you ran off to." He murmurs and I sit in the chair next to him, gently taking his injured hand into mine.

"I was having a hard day." I say and gives me a look.

"You were having a hard day?" He asks and I laugh a bit at him.

"I guess it wasn't as hard as yours." I say and he lifts his brow a bit. It seems to be the only movement that doesn't hurt him.

"Why weren't you here?" He asks and I lick my lips, staring at the intricate bandages that are keeping him together.

"Katniss flipped out on me and it didn't help when you called out for her right afterwards." I say and Gale sinks a little back into the pillow, tensing and I push his hair back soothingly.

"If you had stayed for two minutes after that, you would have heard me telling Katniss to leave you alone." Gale replies and I feel my heart skip a beat when I meet his eyes and see how sincere he is. "I told you, that I do want this to work."

"I'm sorry, it was just rough." I say and Gale squeezes my hand even though it hurts him.

"I would have liked it if you had stayed with me though. You're a lot more comforting than my mother who just nagged me the entire time she was her and Katniss who just glared at me." He says and I laugh, making him smile even though he's in pain.

"I won't leave again." I say and he lifts a brow at me, "I promise."

"Don't make promises that you can't keep." He says and I shake my head.

"I'm not." I answer and his eyes glaze over a bit from whatever pain medication that Mrs. Everdeen had given him, "I won't leave if you don't."

"Never." He says before falling asleep completely.

* * *

I don't like this chapter, but maybe it's because I wrote it in the car while I was kind of car sick. I don't know I just think this one is kind of boring, anyways, I hope you still enjoy the update.

Let me know what you think!


	14. Chapter 14

For the last few days I've been staying at the Everdeen's with Gale. He hasn't been able to leave because of the bad head injury he received and the deep cuts in his arms, a few of them have infections and Mrs. Everdeen has watched over him in case he gets blood poisoning. They set up another cot for me next to Gale's behind his little curtained off section. I'm only here at night though since I still have to work during the day.

When I walk in through the Everdeen's front door after delivering the laundry in town Katniss looks up from her spot in the kitchen and glares at me. I smile in return, hoping to lighten the mood a little but she just turns back to cleaning her kill. I make a popping sound with my lips and shift Gale's hunting bag on my shoulder. I had packed it with some clothes for myself and Gale's book _Oliver Twist._

"He's been worried about you." Katniss says and I meet her silver eyes because she doesn't sound bitter. "Says that you're usually back by now."

"I'm trying to find an extra job to do now since Gale won't be able to work for awhile." I say and Katniss lifts a brow at me before smirking.

"He won't like that you know." Katniss says and I look down at my shoes, shrugging my shoulders.

"It has to be done. I won't take anymore money from Hazelle she has to pay her bills and take care of her children." I answer and Katniss seems a little surprised by my answer. She turns way from me though, ending the conversation and letting me slip behind Gale's curtain in the corner of the house.

"Hi." I whisper because his eyes are closed and I don't know if he's asleep or not. The eye that's not covered opens slowly and the corners of his mouth lift up in n almost smile.

"Hey, what took you so long to get back?" He asks and I walk over to help him sit up. I fluff his pillows and place a hand on his forehead. "My fever broke earlier today."

"That's good I say." As I drop his bag down on my cot, "You don't mind if I borrow this, do you?"

"Not at all." Gale says as he watches me dig through the bag, "I brought you your book."

"Thanks, but you're ignoring my question." Gale says and I bit my lip as I dig through my bag, "Norah."

"I was looking for an extra job." I say quickly before trying to escape back out of the curtain. I would rather sit awkwardly with Katniss than talk to Gale about this subject of extra work.

"Norah." He says and I turn and face him, crossing my arms over my chest and chewing the inside of my cheek.

"Gale." I reply and he smirks at me.

"Can we at least talk about this first?" He asks and I shake my head.

"No Gale. It's just a temporary part time job until you can start working again." I say and he sighs and I know if it wasn't painful to move he would copy me and cross his arms over his chest.

"A part time job where?" He asks and I look down at me shoes.

"The bakery, they just want me to come after store hours and clean the kitchen." I say and Gale's lips press into a thin line. "It's just temporary, it's not a big deal."

"Fine, but the second I can go back to work you're quitting." He says firmly and I roll my eyes.

"Alright Gale." I say with a small smile on my face, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." He says and I lift an eyebrow looking at him, "Have you eaten today?"

"I'm not hungry." Gale answers and I press my hand back to his forehead, "I told you my fever broke."

"I'm just making sure." I say before pushing his hair back gently. "If I bring you broth, will you at least have some of it?"

"Sure." He says and I roll my eyes at him. "I'm just not hungry."

"But you have to eat something." I plead with him because I am very nervous and the idea of him laying on a cot with so many injuries does really upset me.

"What are you my mother?" He asks before his lips turn up teasingly.

"No, I'm your wife." I say and he chuckles a bit.

"I'm getting kind of used to that word." He say and I blush a little, disappearing behind the curtain to heat him up some broth.

Katniss is sitting at the table next to Prim, both of them looking at some papers in the table. I get an unnerving feeling in my stomach when I realize that it's Katniss' first packet for the entire contract process. It's about the time for her to start preparing for the tests, she'll be seventeen in a few months.

"They're not as scary as they look." I say as I pull two bowls down and Katniss looks up at me. "They just test you on the topics in school and your basic know how of household chores."

"And what if you don't know you're basic know how of household chores?" She asks and I begin to ladle some broth into Gale's bowl and the the stew into mine.

"You still have time to learn." I say as I look up to meet her eyes. "I'll help you if you want me to."

"Maybe." She says before pushing out the chair for me to sit down next to her. "Can we talk?"

"Of course, let me just bring Gale his broth." I say before disappearing back behind the curtain. Gale has his eyes closed and I lick my lips. "I know you're not asleep."

He sighs and opens his eyes, reaching out to take the bowel of broth from me. "It won't kill you to eat something."

"Are you ok?" He asks and I nod my head.

"Katniss wants to talk to me." I answer and he lifts a brow at me.

"Really." He says and I nod my head, "Why do you look so scared?"

"Because she looks at me like she wants to murder me all the time." I whisper to Gale and he smirks at me, lifting his eyebrows up.

"No she doesn't." Gale answers and I give him a look that causes him to chuckle. "Alright so she's not your number one fan, but I know Katniss and if she's making time to talk to you than there's nothing wrong. I think she might even want to make a truce."

"Oh really?" I say and he nods his head.

"Yes really, now go talk to her." He says and I stare at him force few seconds.

"You better have all of that broth." I say and Gale lifts his brows, "I mean it or I'll force feed you it next time."

"I'd like to see you try." He says gruffly and I lift my brow at him.

"I'd like to see you try and stop me. You're injured remember." I say and he chuckles as I disappear behind the curtain again.

I take a seat next to Katniss at the table. Primrose must have already went to the bedroom and I sip on my stew waiting for Katniss to say something to me. It takes a while for her to begin speaking and I sit in an awkward silence, the only sound is my spoon hitting the bottoms of my bowl as I try to scoop up the pieces of squirrel in the stew.

After awhile Katniss finally says, "I know I haven't been nice to you for the month that you've been here and I should apologize for that. I just don't know how to."

"It's fine Katniss. I'm sure it was hard to deal with a sudden change and I didn't mean to impose but I am trying really hard to fit in here." I say and Katniss nods her head slowly, "I don't want to get between you and Gale because I know you two have been friends for a very long time, but I need a chance to get to know him and get used to everything here."

"I know and I'll try to be more pleasant." Katniss says and and I smile at her.

I'm about to say something else when a terrible knocking erupts on the front door. Katniss and I stare at it for a few moments because if its Peacekeepers they'll just barge in. When no on enters and the knocking just continues she gets up and opens the door a group of people holding a badly charred man on a stretcher. There must had been an accident in the mines and I give a small sigh of relief that Gale's injured enough to stay home.

"Mom!" Katniss calls before getting out of the way to let the man be laid on the kitchen table. I jump back, grabbing my bowel and then covering my mouth because of the smell of charred skin. I meet the poor man's eyes and shake my head. I couldn't be in here, the sight and smell of him was going to make me sick.

I disappear behind the curtain to where Gale is and find him sipping on his bowl of broth. I'm shaking and he sits up by himself even though he cringes in pain. "That's what happens to you in the mines?" I ask as the tears begin to swell in my eyes.

"Come here." He says and I sit on the edge if his cot, "Breathe, Norah. You have to relax, these things happen. It what happens to the miners, some of us will be lucky but many of us are going to perish. The mines will consume us."

"That can't happen to you though. Your family needs you, you can't-" I begin to say and he pushes my hair back.

"Stop. You can't do this to me because I know what it's like to lose someone to the mines. You cant stop it from happening, so you can't worry about it because if it happens there's nothing you an do." Gale says and I take a shaking breath.

A woman behind the curtain in the Everdeen's kitchen begins to scream in tears and begs Mrs. Everdeen's to bring her husband back. I cringe and cover my face with my hands. " I don't think I could ever go through that. Nothing like this happened in Four, sure men were lost at sea but its never been like that. People shouldn't die like that."

He pulls me into him and holds me to his chest letting me cry into his shoulder. "This isn't District Four." He says as his hug tightens around me. "You shouldn't have seen that."

"It sounds like I would had seen it sooner or later." I say after my sobs have calmed down and I'm just sniffling instead of crying hysterically.

"I rather you saw it later." Gale answers as I pull away from him. "Are you ok?" He asks before taking my hand into mine. His is bandaged but the gesture is still comforting.

"I need to stop crying do much." I say and he chuckles.

"I don't mind the crying, but I wish you would start to feel comfortable around us." Gale says and I nod my head.

"I kind of do, feel comfortable but it's mostly when I'm around you." I say and Gale smirks at me before looking down at our hands.

"That's good." He says and I smile looking up at him and touching his face gently. He closes his eyes for a few seconds, our moment together brief because the curtain is pulled back by Mrs. Everdeen.

"I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to move the both of you into the extra bedroom. Mrs. Rivers needs some time to grieve." She says and I nod, gathering up our stuff while Mrs. Everdeen and Katniss help move Gale into the extra bedroom. I reset up my cot and take my pajama's out of the bag.

"Don't look ok." I say and Gale smirks before making a big deal to close his eyes as I slip into my pajamas.

When I finish changing and crawl into my cot next to Gale he turns his head to look at me. "Goodnight." He whispers and I feel a blush creeping onto my cheeks for reasons unknown because he says goodnight to me every night, but this time I feel like its different.

"Goodnight Gale." I whisper back before snuggling back into my cot and slipping into sleep.

* * *

So in honor of the Catching Fire trailer here's another chapter! I'm going to focus on Gale and Norah's relationship from here on out because I want to start hitting the main storyline.

let me know what you think!


	15. Chapter 15

"Hazelle, could you help me with something?" I ask while walking out of the Hawthorne's tiny bathroom in the back of the house. I'm dressed in my bakery uniform; a white cotton down shirt that buttons down the front, a pair of dark wash jeans, and my nice pair of black leather boots. Since I am working in Town I need to wear attire suitable and dirty Seam clothes are not going to cut it. Or at least that's what Mrs. Mellark believes.

"What is it dear?" Hazelle asks, her grey eyes barely lifting up from Rory's homework that's laid out on the dining room table.

"Do you think this is acceptable?" I ask before tucking in my shirt and then fixing on the collar because my shirt is kind of wrinkled still even after I ironed it.

"I think anything you wear is acceptable Norah." Hazelle answers before smiling warmly towards me. I return the smile halfheartedly and look down at my shoes. The leather is dull and I know I should have shined them earlier today but it had slipped my mind completely.

"I mean it's not as nice as what the residents of Town would have but-"

"Norah you look fine, quit worrying." Hazelle says with slight chuckle, before turning back down to the homework in front of Rory.

"You know what I think you should be focusing on?" Rory asks and I lift a brow at him in question, "Your hair." He says with a snicker and Vick joins in, both of their cheeks flushing red as they try to contain their laughter.

I run a self-conscious hand through my hair and feel my cheeks warm in a blush. My hair is tangled and a sweaty mess from working with Hazelle to get as much laundry as we could done. My eyes widen in horror as I rush to comb my fingers through and try to tame my wild red locks to try and get it at least somewhat presentable.

"Here let me try." Hazelle says as she pulls out a chair for me to sit down in, "Posey will you bring me the hairbrush and as many hair pins as you can find?" Hazelle asks and Posey jumps up at the chance to help her mother.

I listen to her tiny feet patter down the hallways to her bathroom and then the drawers open one by one as she digs around for the items her mom asked for. Hazelle begins to smooth down my hair with some chilly water from the faucet and then takes the brush from her daughter's hands when she appears at her side.

The brush tugs and rips at my hair and I do my best not to cringe at the pain. When the brush finally runs through my hair smoothly, well somewhat smoothly, Hazelle braid my hair down my back and then twists it onto a bun on the top of my head. She then digs the pins into my head, some of them scraping my scalp but this way I know that my hair won't be going anywhere. When she finishes she places both of her hands on my shoulders and squeezes me reassuringly.

"You're going to be fine Norah, don't be so nervous." She says and I nod my head, standing up and grabbing Gale's hunting bag off the chair next to me. It was easy to just carry my things back and forth with it and since the bag wasn't being used by Gale at the moment I thought I might as well just use it for the time being.

"Thanks Hazelle, I'll see you tomorrow." I say over my shoulder and she stops me by grabbing my wrist.

"Norah, how are you going to get home?" Hazelle asks and I stare at her questionably, "It'll be dark by the time you get that kitchen clean and we know what happens when we walk home in the dark." Hazelle whispers carefully because I know she doesn't want to frighten Posey or any of her children for that matter.

"What happens when you walk home in the dark?" Posey asks and Rory pokes her sisters side, a wicked grin on his face.

"The fairies get you." He says ominously and Posey puts her hands on her hips like Hazelle does when she's scolding Rory and Vick.

"But fairies are good." Posey points out and Rory shakes his head at her.

"Not all fairies, what do you think happened to Gale?" He asks and Posey's eyes widen and she looks at her mother for confirmation, when Hazelle doesn't say anything Posey leans in and waits for her brother to continue, "That's why we've got to be careful Posey, because fairies trick us. They look good and are supposedly there to help us, but in reality they're going to cause us a lot of trouble and sometimes even pain. That's why you have to be very careful with the peop- I mean fairies that you can trust."

"How do you know that a fairy has been around?" Posey asks and Rory grins, looking up at me.

"Well their favorite thing to do is mess with Norah's hair so-" Rory says and I shake my head at him, trying not to laugh because I know that he's trying to teach Posey an important lesson.

"But Norah's hair is always like that." Posey says with a quick glance at me, "Do the fairies live in her hair?" She whispers and I bite my lip in an attempt to keep my laughter in but I still snicker a bit.

"No Posey, they just like to tease me." I say before kneeling down to her level, "You see the fairies like to tease when there isn't anyone around that they want to hurt. My hair is just an easy target for them."

"Oh, so you're not some fairy in disguise and you're not hiding them in your hair?" Posey asks and I shake my head.

"If I was your mother would had found them all when she was brushing my hair out." I say and Posey sighs in relief.

"So how are you going to walk home in the dark Norah? The fairies might hurt you." Posey says nervously and I shrug my shoulders.

"I don't know." I tell her before looking at Hazelle for answer, "What am I supposed to do?"

"The baker has a son that's still at home, I'm sure he'll walk with you if you ask." Hazelle says and I nod my head before looking at Posey who looks content with this answer.

"But what about the boy? He'll have to walk home by himself." Posey says and Rory's face becomes stony and he looks so much like a small version of Gale that I can't get my eyes to look anywhere else but on Rory.

"The fairies only like to mess with people who live in the Seam." Rory answers and Posey thinks about it for a few moments before nodding her head in agreement.

"Makes sense, I mean we do live closer to the forest so we must be ruining their homes." She says before turning and going back to her spot by the fire to play with her dolls.

I watch how innocently she plays with her old rag doll on the floor for a few moments. She whispers to it about the fairies and how she's going to be extra careful now about everyone because who knows if they're actually a fairy meant to harm her or not. I suddenly feel bad for shattering her image of the good little fairies with wings and magic dust that fly around and play fun tricks, but know she'll be weary of the people she comes into contact with and in District Twelve, being careful seems like one of the tactics to survive.

When I arrive at the bakery I make a point to smooth down my shirt before walking into the small shop. "You're late." Mrs. Mellark says with a low snarl and I shrink down a tad bit as her eyes scrutinize me.

"Mother, she's two minutes early. That clock is fast, remember." A blonde boy with broad shoulders says with an eye roll and I smile at him, "I'm Peeta Mellark."

"Norah Hawthorne." I say before reaching out to shake his hand. This must be the son that Hazelle was talking about, he does seem rather nice and his eyes are blue like the sky, so unlike his mother's which are cold as ice.

"Oh, Gale's wife." Peeta says with a grin and I nod my head.

"You must be one of the many he trades with." I say and Peeta nods his head.

"My dad likes a good squirrel every so often." Peeta says and I smile, suddenly feeling not so nervous.

"You'll be working with Peeta in cleaning the kitchen every night. I want this place in tip top shape when I come back down in the mornings. You may leave when you're finished and not a second more, Peeta will keep track of your hours and will pay you at the end of the week." Mrs. Mellark says before nodding her head curtly at me and her son and then disappearing up the steps that lead to their loft above the shop.

Peeta and I get to work right away. I wash all the dishes in the sink that's about the size of a wash bin and Peeta sweeps the floors and wipes down the counters and ovens. He asks me about District Four and what I think about District Twelve. I try to sound as pleasant about District Twelve as I can but I'm not in love with my new home like I am with my old one. The only thing that I'm actually starting to enjoy about this place is Gale and the rest of the Hawthorne family because all of them are start to accept me with open arms. It's going to take a lot longer to get used to the rest of the District and enjoy my time here.

We don't finish up the kitchen until it's late, almost a quarter to midnight. My back is sore and it reminds me of how I felt after working in the docks back at Four. I smile fondly at the memories of standing in the warm sun with Margo, even if the work wasn't easy I can still remember being happy in those moments. "Would you mind walking me home Peeta?"

"Of course not." He says with a genuine smile before grabbing his coat off the hook, "I was actually just about to ask if you needed me to."

I assume the walk to be silent and awkward but Peeta is as big talker, the topic he chooses to bring up though I'm not comfortable with speaking with him about and I tense up the second he mentions Gale's name. "So I heard about Gale's accident." He says and I purse my lips a bit because it's not his business.

"How did you hear about that?" I ask trying not to sound cold, because I am genuinely curious as to how he knows my husband was attacked by Peacekeepers.

"Word travels fast in District Four. I didn't mean to make you upset Norah, I was just wondering if he was alright." Peeta says and I smile at him halfheartedly, hoping to make up for my tone of voice.

"He's doing better thanks to Mrs. Everdeen." I say and he nods his head.

"She's a really good healer." Peeta says before adding, "Her daughters an even better hunter. My father always says that Katniss can shoot a squirrel right in the eye every time."

"Are you and Katniss friends?" I ask and he shakes his head quickly.

"No, people from the Seam and people from Town don't really speak unless they have to." Peeta says and I know exactly what he's talking about. When I had been looking for extra work yesterday a woman in the tailor's shop had called me a Seam Rat. The term had made my cheeks and ears flame red and I couldn't get out of the shop fast enough. I didn't mention it to Gale because I know it would just pit him against me getting an extra job even more. He's too prideful sometimes.

"Why do you ask?" Peeta asks, breaking me out of my thoughts and I lick my lips.

"You speak very fondly of Katniss, I just figured the two of you were friends." I say and from the deep yellow glow of the streetlights I see Peeta's face turn pink.

We don't talk for the rest of the way back to the Everdeen's.

I slip into the house as silently as possible. Haymitch, Mrs. Everdeen's drunken second husband, usually shows up around eleven thirty and crashes in the extra bedroom Gale and I had slept in last night. He had woken us up in a drunken stupor, yelling and asking why we were sleeping in his room. Gale, even though he couldn't move too well argued back with Haymitch until the drunk got so angry I thought he might attack Gale. Mrs. Everdeen and I were able to intervene though, both of us calming down our husbands.

Haymitch had slept on the couch last night, but tonight I know he's tucked away in his bedroom, leaving Gale and I on our cots in our curtained area in the corner of the dining room. It still smells like death and charred skin in here, hopefully Mrs. Everdeen lets Gale come home tomorrow so that I can actually begin to sleep in a real bed again. My back is killing me.

When I slip behind the dark blue curtain that Gale is behind I'm surprised to find him reading by candle light. "Hey." He says with a smirk and I smile at him.

"Hi, you know you didn't have to wait up for me." I say and Gale smiles a bit, the corners of his mouth pulling up enough to unveil a few of his teeth to me. From what I can see they're surprisingly white and kind of perfect.

"I wanted to." Gale answers and I smile looking down at my shoes and waiting for my blush to subside before looking back up at him, "So how was it?"

"Tiring and my back hurts." I admit to him and he nods his head slowly putting his book down on the small foldable table at his side before tilting his head somewhat at me.

"You should get some rest." Gale says and I yawn, nodding my head in agreement.

I blow out the candle on the small table and he catches my wrist pulling me down to him. "I was worried about you." He whispers quietly and I lick my lips, feeling the butterflies in my stomach beginning to fly around.

"You shouldn't be. I made it home fine." I say without turning my face towards him because I wasn't sure what this close contact in the dark meant and I really wasn't sure why I was so nervous.

"But I was." He says before pausing a moment to gather his thoughts when he doesn't say anything I become brave and turn to face him.

My eyes adjusting to the darkness so that I can make out the outline of his features. "Are you trying to say that you care about me Gale Hawthorne?"

Our foreheads rest against each other in the darkness and I'm sure that he's about to kiss me, the idea of his lips against mine being incredibly intoxicating and nerve racking at the same time.

"Yes." He breathes out and I close my eyes. "Could you possibly be feeling the same way?"

"I think so." I say and I know he's smirking into the darkness.

We sit there, the moment between us passing slowly and I get up, breaking the closeness so that I can go to bed. We hadn't kissed, but the way I felt being that close to Gale was a hundred times more electrifying then anytime I have kissed Sinon.

And that was saying something.

* * *

So I have a really weird schedule at school this week, that's why I'm able to post more. This chapter is kind of a transition to bring in Peeta and really highlight Gale and Norah's relationship building. There's going to be a lot of Gale/Norah moments in the upcoming chapters.

I hope you like it! Let me know what you think!


	16. Chapter 16

"You know I will want my bag back when I start hunting again." Gale comments when I pick up his bag to take with me to Hazelle's.

"I've grown attached to it." I say before hiking it over my shoulder, "I think I'll keep it."

"It has my name on it." Gale says and I look down at the stitched _Hawthorne _that's on the top of the leather bag.

"Actually it says Hawthorne and last time I checked that was my last name too." I say and Gale smirks at me. He can sit up a whole lot easier and I know that Mrs. Everdeen will be sending him home soon, which is relieving because I feel as if we are over staying our welcome in the Everdeen home. Gale assures me that Mrs. Everdeen doesn't mind because it's her job to care for the ill and the hurt, but I still can't help but feel as if we're in the way.

"It's still my bag." He replies when he can't figure out anything witty or sarcastic to say. I smile and shrug my shoulders.

"Well it's mine for now." I say and he rolls his eyes, "I'll be back after my shift at the bakery ok?"

He nods and catches my wrist, his fingers gently wrapping around my writs as his grip locks and he pulls closer to him. I feel my cheeks flare in a blush and he chuckles at my reaction. His face is inches from mine and I swear my heart is about to beat out of my chest. I'm not sure what he plans on doing but when his rough hand caresses my face gently, I hold my breath, believing that he's going to kiss me.

He smiles at me and whisper, "Got my bag." I pull away from him in confusion and find that he had been able to slip the bag off my shoulder and the strap is now twisted in his hand, the bag barely hanging off the floor. I shake my head at him and do my best not to smile as he lifts his brows playfully upwards. I push his shoulder gently because I know he's still in pain.

"Fine, keep your bag." I say and the smirk on his face widens into a small smile.

Mrs. Everdeen walks in from behind the curtain and the small playful moment that Gale and I were having is ruined almost instantly. "I've going to check your head wound again before you go home tomorrow Gale." She says as she steps towards him. I automatically back away because I don't want to be in her way.

Gale reaches out for my hand to stop me and our fingertips brush together. I take this as a sign that he wants to hold my hand as Mrs. Everdeen checks that his wounds are healing correctly. My fingers intertwine with his and I'm incredibly surprised by how our hands fit together. When I had held Sinon's hand back in District Four I remember how uncomfortable his fingers had fit in the spaces between my own. His hands were large and his knuckles were swollen from the salt water and working on the boats. While Gale's hands are large and calloused, his fingers fit perfectly in between the spaces and I can't help but believe that this right here is perhaps a sign in some way.

As Mrs. Everdeen begins to undress his wounds Gale stares at our intertwined hands, his brows are heavily furrowed together and his jaw is locked. I can tell he's in pain even though Mrs. Everdeen is trying to be as gentle as possible. He's still sore from the stitches and his ribs are still so bruised that when he sits up it puts a lot of pressure on them. It's going to take a very long time for him to be in tip top shape again and even after he heals he might not be completely normal again. The Peacekeepers really did a lot of damage on him. I give his hand a reassuring squeeze hoping that he finds it to be comforting; he squeezes my hand back before running his thumb over my heart shaped scar on my hand.

Gale looks up and meets my eyes just as Mrs. Everdeen pulls the bandage off of his head. I flinch at what I see and take a deep startled breath. There's a gash with stitches from his left temple over his ear and ends somewhere at the back of his head. The bruising around his left eye is still dark but starting to turn green as if it's healing. The blood vessel in his eye is broken and there's swelling on his cheek bone. His ear lobe also has a line of stitches keeping it together. I want to turn away and for a second I almost do, but then I remember my mother and how she never left my father's side when he broke his in a boating accident, I remember Annie and how she personally stitched up a wide gash in Finnick's forearm after he had cut himself with his own trident, but mostly I remember Mrs. River's, the woman who had lost her husband in a mining accident, she didn't leave his side once and he had been charred and was on his deathbed. All of them had been loyal to their husbands and I would be the same. The injuries on Gale's head would heal, the stitches on his ear lobe will be taken out, and the swelling and bruising around his eye will disappear. The only thing I should be worried about is if that eye will be as sharp as the other or if he'll be able to see out of it at all.

I meet his eyes and suck up my fear. I smile halfheartedly at him, "It's not as bad as I thought it would be." I manage to croak out and he tilts his head a bit.

"You're just being nice because you want my hunting bag." Gale replies and I smile at him, he returns it easily before squeezing my hand once more.

I glance over at Mrs. Everdeen and find her smiling warmly at us. She licks her lips and then tosses Gale's old bandages into the waste bin, "The hair where the gash is should grow back." She says and Gale gives me a strange look.

"You didn't tell me that I'm bald." He says before looking at Mrs. Everdeen and she smiles again.

"Your just kind of bald," I say before listing my hand and pointing to the spot on my own head, "right here." I say and his lips press into a hard line.

"I remember being hit with the baton there." He says and I cringe at the thought of the sickening blow, how it must have sounded when it cracked against his skull.

"You'll be able to go home tonight Gale." Mrs. Everdeen says, changing the subject quickly and I'm glad she does.

"That's good." I say when I see the look of distaste on his face, maybe he liked being here because he was closer to Katniss. I push the thought away as quickly as it appeared I my mind because he promised that we would work at this.

"Sure, I mean I get to lie around on the bed at home all day long." He says with heavy sarcasm and I roll my eyes.

"You could always switch it up and lay on the couch instead." I reply and he gives me a dry look that makes me smirk in response.

Gale isn't one to relax and watch everyone around him work so hard. I know that he's itching to go back to the mines, itching to go back into the woods and make trades in the Hobs, and I know that he wants me to quit my second job probably most of all. It's killing him, knowing that he isn't going to be able to do what the husband is supposed to do and while I don't mind working extra, it's just not how it's supposed to be done. At least that is what we are taught in school; the man works and if needed so does the woman, but mostly she is there to care for the children and make sure the household runs smoothly.

"You'll be back at work before you know it Gale." I say quietly but he just rolls his eyes.

"What did you tell me yesterday Mrs. Everdeen?" Gale asks and she bites her lip, like she's suddenly nervous by the tension in the room. Perhaps she just doesn't enjoy Gale's sudden shift in moods, I know I don't.

"That you probably won't be able to go back to work until December." Mrs. Everdeen says before slowly backing out of our curtained off area, as if she knows that Gale and I are about to argue.

"What month is it right now Norah?" Gale asks and I lick my lips, not wanting to deal with this.

"It's the beginning of October." I answer, keeping my head up because even though I didn't want to argue. I refused to keep letting him intimidate me.

"So I won't be able to work again for at least two and half months." Gale growls and I cross my arms over my chest, "That means you have to work two jobs, worry about getting the bills paid, and maintain the house through the rainy season. That means that my mother is going to have to raise three young children on a Seamstress' paycheck because I won't be able to bring them food from the woods. That means Katniss has to hunt extra every time she goes out because there's no way in hell she's going to let anyone in my family starve."

"I'm pretty sure I can handle working two jobs considering that I did have to work this much back in Four, I think I can handle fixing leaks in a roof or fixing a window if I have to. I am not a helpless little girl, I grew up in the working class back in my home District." I say as I clench my hands into fists under my crossed arms. "I'd be more than happy to give you mother some of my paycheck, because she's part of my family now too. I'll also help Katniss if she needs it."

"You're not going into the woods." He states and I take a deep breath to keep my biting words back. I calm down after a few moments and rub my temple with my finger.

"Fine, but I will do what I have too to insure that everything runs smoothly until you can start working again Gale. You don't have say in this." I reply calmly and he clenches his jaw.

"I'm not going to let you work yourself to death." He says evenly and I lift my brow.

"Yet it's perfectly fine if you do?" I ask and when he doesn't say anything I grab his hunting bag that carries my change of clothes for my shift in the bakery off the floor. "If the roles were switched you would be working twice as hard , would you not?"

He nods his head slowly and I lift my brow at him, "Exactly." I state before exiting the curtained off area and leaving the Everdeen house.

I'm only partly down the street when Katniss catches up to me. Her silver eyes meet my brown ones and he widens hers a bit, "I don't think I've ever known someone who can get under his skin so much."

"Am I wrong?" I ask her, ignoring what she said and she shakes her head.

"I would do the same thing and so would he. I just know Gale and I know that he's always had this image that man is supposed to care for their family. He watched his dad do it and that's the only person he really wants to be like, only person he wants to make proud."

"I understand that, but I just can't do nothing." I say and I meet her eyes again, "The Hawthorne's are my family now."

Katniss stares at me for a few moments before the corners of her mouth turn up slightly, "I think I might have misjudged you Norah." She says and I smile a bit in her direction.

"I don't know what else I can do though, other than get another job and give Hazelle some of my paycheck." I tell her as we walk down the dusty roads of the seam. Her school bag hanging off one of her shoulders.

"What do you mean?" She asks and I lick my lips, their dry and the dust is beginning to stick.

"I mean, Gale told me that you have to hunt by yourself and I want to be able to help you." I say and Katniss smirks at me. She seems like she wants to make fun of me until her eyes widen a bit like she's realized something.

"Can you make fishing hooks?" She asks and I nod my head.

"Hooks, rods, nets, spears." I say and she bites her lip to keep her smile from growing.

"That's going to be helpful. The winter means that animals start hibernating and the snow kills a lot of the plants, but if I can fish." She says and I smile at her, seeing her train of thought.

"Then we'll continue to have meat for winter." I say and she nods her head.

"And meat to trade." She continues and I feel like we've reached an understanding with each other.

Katniss begins to walk towards the path that leads into Town and into school and I call after her, "I'm not going to be home in time to help Gale home, do you think you can bring him home for me?" I ask and she nods her head.

She looks troubled when she turns back around and I call after her again, "Are you ok Katniss, did you want to ask me something?"

She stutters for a few moments before finally saying, "I just wanted to know if you would help me work on my sewing skills before they test us on it?"

"Of course." I say with a smile and she nods, looking down at her shoes, "Come over on Sunday, ok?"

Katniss nods and turns away from me quickly, hurrying down the path before I can stop her again.

* * *

Before heading over to the bakery, I stop by Bristel and Thom's house. Bristel opens the door and my eyes widen, her stomach has swollen to the point where it looks like she's going to give birth almost any day.

"I brought the rest of your towels." I say and she smiles at me, inviting me inside, "Oh I can't stay I have to go to my shift at the bakery."

"Is Gale alright?" She asks and I nod my head.

"I mean he won't be able to work until December, but he's healing really well. The infections are pretty much all gone now. I think Mrs. Everdeen is more worried about his ribs and the head injuries." I say and Bristle gives me a sympathetic look.

"He's going to drive you insane." She says and I laugh, "Well I wanted to know if you would stitch up some old baby clothes. We couldn't afford to buy brand new ones and the ones we got have a few holes in them." Bristel explains and I chew on my bottom lip. "I would do it but I'm not very good at sewing at all."

"I can try and get it done this Sunday." I say and Bristle smiles at me.

"That would be great because I'm not due for another week." Bristle says as she rubs her stomach absent mindedly, "I think it's going to be a girl, little Tula Arlene Collins."

"Tula Arlene?" I question and Bristle nods her head with a smile on her face.

"Tula is my step-mother back in District Two, she raised me after my mother died when I was four and Arlene was my mother." Bristel says and I'm surprised to hear that she was raised by her step-mother. I wouldn't have guessed that, but then again you never know the life they leave in their home district.

"It's certainly different." I say and Bristle shrugs her shoulder.

"Being a little different never hurt anyone." She says and I can't help but believe how good of a mother she's going to be. Bristel is going to be accepting and very warm and loving.

"What are you going to name the baby if it's a boy?" I ask and Bristle rubs her stomach in a slow circle.

"Thomas Reed Collins." Bristle answers, her nose crinkling up like she refuses to even consider her baby being a boy. I know if it is she'll love it him just the same though.

"I think either name is great Bristle." I say and she smiles proudly, "I have to get going. I'll bring the clothes back on Monday."

"Alright, goodbye Norah." She calls after me and I give her a small wave as I head into town.

* * *

Peeta and I get the kitchen clean early this time and I'm glad because it means that I can be home earlier to help Gale get situated back at the house. Peeta sees how antsy I am to get back and he laughs when I knock one of the clean cooking trays off the counter sending it clanging to the floor.

"I hope I didn't dent that." I say, worrying because I know that Mrs. Mellark will take it out of my paycheck.

Peeta picks up the pan and inspects it before slipping it into the sink, "It's fine, I rewash it after I walk you home. Why are you so eager anyways?"

"Gale gets to go back to our house tonight and I just want to make sure he's comfortable." I say and Peeta smiles, his blue eyes sparkling under the light from the lantern in the kitchen.

"It's good that he's feeling better." Peeta says and I nod my head in agreement.

"He still can't work though, probably won't be able to until this winter." I say and Peeta shakes his head.

"That's a shame. He's always been really determined though, so I'm sure he'll be fine." Peeta says and I nod my head slowly in agreement. Peeta grabs his coat off the rack and then heads over to a large bin that's filled with the bread that either burned or they couldn't sell. "Take some of the better loaves."

"Oh no Peeta, I couldn't." I say and he sighs, collecting them for me himself. "I can't afford all that bread."

"Just take them; we just toss the loaves into the pig pen anyways. It's really not a big deal Norah." He says and I take the breads from him thankfully, placing them into Gale's hunting bag.

"Thank you Peeta, you're incredibly kind." I say and he blushes a bit, looking down at his shoes.

"Come on, let's get you home." He replies and I follow him out the door into the cold night.

When I walk inside of my house I find Gale lying on the couch with his back leaning against the armrest. He looks up towards me and lifts his brows, "You're home early."

"Yeah, Peeta and I finished quickly today." I say before setting the bag on the kitchen table, "He gave us some of the left over loaves of bread. There's enough to give some to your mom and to the Everdeen's." I say before as I lay the bread out, "Where's Katniss?"

"She left after I got settled, he just gave you all that bread?" He asks and I nod my head, "We don't need handout Norah."

"It's not handouts or charity. He's just being a friend; wouldn't you help him if you could?" I ask and Gale lifts his brows up in surprise.

"No, because people in Town get all the breaks. They don't need our help." Gale spats and I can't even look at him, "And we don't need his help."

"Fine, let's just let all of this food got to waste then." I say and he rolls his eyes at me, not replying.

I sigh and clench my jaw before setting his bag onto the floor and turning to face him. "I don't want to argue with him, so can we just go to bed?" I ask him and he glances up from his book.

"Sure." He says without any real emotion and I sigh, sometimes I thought it was going to be easy between us, but at the same time things seem to be really difficult as well.

* * *

I need a Beta, but its so hard to find one so if you guys are interested let me know!

I hope you liked this chapter!


	17. Chapter 17

The stale loaves of bread don't rip up as easily as I hoped they would. These loaves of bread were part of the bunch that Peeta gave me and just were too hard to eat. They're stale and moldy and no one really wanted them since Peeta has been given me loaves every day after work. I do my best to not bring home so much because I don't want Gale to be angry about it, he sees it as charity and it really bothers me. A little help wasn't so bad, especially since he was hurt and couldn't work but Gale didn't see it that way. He didn't see the loaves of bread as help from a friend; he saw the loaves of bread as charity from a townsperson who pitied us.

From the corner of my eye I can see Gale watching me and I wonder what he's thinking about. He eyes the bread with hatred and I lick my lips nervously before exhaling loudly. I didn't like being on edge around him, but he's been so irritable from being stuck in the house all day that I'm pretty sure that he's just really going to snap. He's like a ticking time bomb that I wish I could send out into the woods or into the mines so that he can relax. He's so tense all the time that he has a constant scowl on his face that's worse than the natural stern look that he usually wears.

I pile the rip pieces of bread into a cloth and tie the corners tightly together in a not. I then attach the few fishing hooks that I had made from scrap metal that Rory found somewhere in the District and attach it to the cloth as well. Gale lifts a brow up at me and I return in the look in an attempt to make him smirk at me or at least for him to show any other kind of emotion.

My attempt isn't successful and all Gale says is, "Where are you going?"

"I told Katniss I would I meet her and give her the bread to bait the ducks and some better fishing hooks." I say as I pull on my coat, I attempt to get outside the house before he can stop me.

"Norah!" Gale calls and I sigh, tucking a loose piece of hair behind my ear and leaning against the door. He sits up and cringes a bit but not as much as he has been, his ribs have been beginning to heal up but he can't stand because of how badly injured his leg is. He also gets dizzy when he moves too fast.

"Gale." I say back and he scowls even more.

"It's Sunday and Katniss is hunting." Gale says and I shrug my shoulders.

"I told her that I would meet her at the Hob." I say quietly and Gale leans forward a little bit.

"What?" He asks but I know that he heard me, "I'm sorry but did you say you were meeting Katniss at the Hob?"

"Yes." I say quietly before looking down at my shoes, they're covered in coal dust and I bite the inside of my cheek, angry at the fact that I have tracked coal dust into my house. It clings to everything; it's like the sand back in Four, but worse. The coal dust stains and now my rug has a trail of footprints, some of them mine and some of them Gale's, that lead from the front door to the hardwood floors that go down the hallway.

"I don't want you going anywhere near the Hob without me." Gale says once I look up towards him.

"It's going to be hard to stop me from going." I say and Gale lifts a brow at my reply, like he's surprised by how quickly I went against him.

It takes him a moment to put together his words, but when he does I'm frozen to my spot. He says, "What happened to the little housewife that was supposed to do as she's told?" The words sting and I'm hit with a flashback; a gunshot ringing off in my head and Elise crumbling to the ground, a girl who didn't do as she was told.

"Norah?" Gale says, a bit softer and I open my eyes, realizing that I had shut them and was clenching the cloth holding the hooks and the bread. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." I say before loosening my grip on the cloth and meeting his eyes again. "What happened to wanting me to think for myself?" I ask him quietly after a few moments pass and Gale's eyebrows furrow together.

"I don't want you to get hurt. The people at the Hob will take advantage of you because you don't know-"

"Stop." I say, cutting him off with a wave of my hand, "Just stop. You're my husband, not my father, you can't keep telling me what to do."

"Well I'm trying but you're not listening." He says and I feel the corners of my mouth turn up, even though I don't want them too.

"I'm eighteen and if I'm old enough to be sent away from my family and marry a man I don't know, then I think I can handle walking down the path to the Hob and giving Katniss some items." I say as I scoff my shoe against the carpet making the coal dust stain worse. "If it makes you feel better I'll come straight home. I'll be gone fifteen minutes tops." I say and Gale nods stiffly.

I sigh and watch him as he buries his nose back into _Oliver Twist. _I tap my foot against the doorframe, watching him flip through the yellowed pages until he gets to the folded page that he left off on. My eyes scan the leg that's giving him problems and I remember my grandmother Mags and how she walked with limp after her stroke. My father had bought her a cane and afterwards she got around a hell of a lot better, perhaps Gale needs the same thing.

Instead of heading straight for the Hob like I knew I should have I go the opposite direction towards Hazelle's house. The Hawthorne's had to have had grandparents at some time and surely one of them had walked with a cane. Outside of the Hawthorne house the children are all playing, Rory and Vick are kicking around a ball and Posey is playing with her paper dolls. She looks up when she sees me and smiles, running towards me and tackling me with a huge hug. I scoop her into my arms and poke her little stomach, she laughs and pokes my cheek.

"I saw a fairy outside my window today." She says and I lift my eyebrows in surprise, "But it was a good fairy." She continues before lifting my braid up in an attempt to look for more. I chuckle and stride right into the Hawthorne house, no longer feeling strange about entering without knocking.

"Norah dear, I believe it's our day off." Hazelle says as she looks up from her book, she's gently stirring some of her tea and I smile at her.

"I just have a quick question." I say and Hazelle pushes out the chair next to her for me to sit down, "Gale's going crazy being cooped up in the house all day."

"I figured as much." Hazelle says before smiling warmly, "Gale's like his father in that way, they can't sit still for too long, especially when there's work to be done."

"I just wanted to make his traveling a little easier. I was thinking that maybe I could get him a cane." I say and Hazelle lifts one of her eyebrows in question, it's a look that I've grown accustomed to during my time here.

"I think that would be a good idea, but I don't have one. Easton got rid of everything of his father's after he died; it was his way of dealing with things." Hazelle says and I blink a few times, I didn't even think about Gale's father having a name or him being an actual living human being at one time.

"Gale never talks about him." I say and Hazelle looks down at her hands.

"That's his way of dealing with things. He bottles all of it up until he explodes." Hazelle says and I can imagine that. I can imagine something finally setting him off and him losing his mind. I didn't want to experience that, but I knew I would have to and as his wife I would stand with him during it.

"Do you know where I can find a cane?" I ask, changing the subject back to the previous topic. It takes a moment for Hazelle to answer and I know that she's remembering her husband. I wonder how much Gale looked like him.

"I'm sure you could make a trade with someone in the Hob." Hazelle answers and I lick my lips.

"I don't know how to trade and Gale doesn't want me in there without him." I say and Hazelle laughs, it comes out as a chuckle like Gale's whenever he thinks of something that will get on someone's nerves.

"Gale needs to stop acting like that, you're a tough girl and you're also a Hawthorne; that's a respected name in the Hob. Also, I think you know one person that does know how to trade." Hazelle says before sipping her tea, she has a childlike gleam in her dark grey eyes.

"Katniss," I say and Hazelle nods, "thanks Hazelle." I say and she smiles, winking at me as I hand her Posey and hurry out of the house. The fifteen minutes I promised Gale I would be gone already used up.

Outside of the Hob, Katniss leans against the wall waiting for me. She holds the strap of her bag and seems to be studying the people that are milling around outside. When her eyes meet mine, she slouches a bit and pushes off the wall. "Hey." She says and I smile at her, handing her the cloth with the hook and bread pieces.

"I have a question." I say and Katniss lifts a brow at me, "Gale's going crazy sitting inside all day and it's hard for him to put pressure on his leg, but I figured if I got him a cane he would be able to move around better and wouldn't be so irritable."

"Well Gale's always going to be sort of irritable." Katniss says and I smile, a tiny laugh escaping my lips.

"Yes, but he's being completely ridiculous now." I say and Katniss nods her head for me to follow her inside of the Hob.

The Hob is filled with people, all of them talking loudly, moving around from station to station. I stick close to Katniss and we make our way over to one station with a large burly man. He's blind in one eye and has heavy black eyebrows, one of which has a scar breaking it apart. He lifts the broken eyebrow up at Katniss before shooting a skeptical look at me.

"She's a Hawthorne." Katniss says as if that's the only explanation that's needed. It obviously is because the man grunts and turns his attention back to Katniss.

"What do you have for me?" He asks and Katniss places a heavy goose on the table. He measures it in his hands and then nods his head. He pulls a bag of vegetables out from underneath his table and Katniss nods her head in thanks.

She gives me a look and nods her head to follow, "I've got to make a few more trades." She says to me and I watch her carefully. She makes the trades so easily, like it's her second nature. She knows exactly what she wants for her game and what the customers running the stations will trade for. I watch in awe because this is a whole side of Katniss I've never seen.

When she makes her final trade, Katniss hands me a few coins and points to a station in the back of the Hob, "I'll meet you back there." She says before turning back to the station that Greasy Sae runs, the old woman gives me a gummy smile and I return it before heading over to the station. There's a young woman running the station and I can't help but feel like I've seen her before.

Her hair is a pale blonde and her eyes are like twin pieces of light green sea glass. Her skin is freckled and I can tell that it's from spending days in the sun. What really gets me though is the woven hat that is from District Four and I know for a fact that I've seen her before, that if she hails from District Four that I must have seen her around. The woman looks up and her eyes widen in surprise before she squeals, "Norah Odair!"

I jump backwards surprised by the fact that she knows me. She runs around the table of the station and pulls me into a bone crushing hug. "You look so much like your sister!" She squeals before pulling away and tugging at the end of my braid, "Except for your hair of course, Kassi didn't have this unruly red hair."

I stare at her for a few moments, knowing that this woman must have been friends with my older sister. I think her name was Lena, Lacy, Lara, "Leevy?" I ask and she smiles, pulling me into a huge hug again. "Leevy!" I say because I do remember her as my sisters good friend from work, Leevy's a year older than Kassi so she was contracted first.

"Norah, you're beautiful!" Leevy says as she spins me around, "Who were you contracted too?"

"Gale Hawthorne." I say and her sea glass colored eyes widen in surprise.

"So you're the new Hawthrone? I heard that he was contracted to a girl from Four but I didn't even think it was going to be you! I still picture you as the small little adolescent that was Kassi's little shadow." Leevy says as she goes back behind her table. Sitting on the stool behind her is a young girl with the* seam look, except for her eyes, like Leevy her eyes are a pale green that seem to be illuminated by the darkness of her hair.

"Is this your daughter?" I ask and Leevy smiles, nodding her head as she looks proudly at the little girl. "This is Luna, she just turned three." The little girl blushes and hides behind her hands causing me to smile at her.

"Hello Luna." I say warmly but the girl stays hidden behind her hands causing both Leevy and I to chuckle.

"What can I help you with Norah?" Leevy asks and I point to the canes that are lined up against the wall nearest to her station.

"I need one of those." I say and Leevy seems alarmed.

"Are you hurt?" She asks and I shake my head, "Is Gale hurt?"

"Yes." I say and she lifts a brow at me before grabbing a smoothed down cane that has a curved handle.

"Was it a mining accident?" She asks as I slide her the coins, I glance to the left of me where there are a group of Peacekeepers eating bowls of Greasy Sae's stew. I recognize the voice of one of them and the hairs on my arms stand up.

"I don't know why they think they have the right." Leevy says before handing me the cane over the table.

"They just can." Katniss says behind me and I jump, glancing over my shoulder towards her. "How are you Leevy?" She asks and Leevy nods her head.

"I'm fine, a lot better than I was." Leevy says and I feel like I'm missing out on something, "It's been almost two years, I guess I should be feeling better huh?"

"It was your child Leevy, no one blames you for feeling sad." Katniss answers and Leevy chokes back a sob. I look between them and then down at my shoes, knowing that this conversation isn't one to question.

"Send you mother my best wishes." She tells Katniss and she nods her head, "Oh and Norah?" Leevy says and I look up at her just as she slides a few of the coins I had given her back across the table, "Friends and family discount." She says with a wink, her attitude nowhere as enthusiastic as it was before.

"Thank you Leevy, I hope we can catch up soon." I say and she nods her head.

"I would like that Norah, I missed talking to the lively Odair bunch." Leevy says and smile at her.

"But I'm a Hawthorne now." I say and Leevy waves it off.

"I've heard the Hawthorne's are just as lively." Leevy says before scooping Luna up into her arms. She's got this protective hold on her daughter and I can't help but wonder what happened.

The walk home with Katniss is completely silent until my curiosity about Leevy gets the best of me and I have to question what happened. It takes Katniss a few moments to form her words but then she does she's somber, like she doesn't like to or want to think about whatever Leevy went through.

"About two years back District Twelve had an outbreak of measles, it was so bad. People were dying left and right and the Capitol wouldn't give us enough medication to treat everyone so the only people that were getting help were the people who could afford the medicine."

"So mostly people from Town." I say and Katniss nods her head slowly.

"Leevy's younger brother and oldest son both caught the measles, so Leevy brought them to my mother, like most people in the Seam did. Prim, our step-brother, and I had to stay in the quarantined side of Town with Gale's family. Leevy's brother was able to fight the disease but her son, he was only about five at the time, and he didn't make it." Katniss says and I look over my shoulder, wishing that I could hug Leevy myself.

"A lot of children died during that winter." Katniss continues and I glance back at her, "I think it was around seventy almost eighty children died before the Capitol finally really intervened. In order to pay for all the medication the District used, the coal miners weren't paid for a few months."

"We had something like that happen in District Four, only instead of measles it was tuberculosis. It happened when I was just a small child though so I don't remember much of it." I say and Katniss shakes her head.

"You're lucky, it's not something you want to live through." She says and our conversation drifts off as we walk the rest of the way to the house.

I push the door open easily and Gale seems relieved when I walk through with Katniss trailing behind me. "Christ Norah, it's been more than fifteen minutes." He says and I give him an apologetic look.

"I know and I'm sorry, but-"

"You said you would be back in fifteen minutes, it's almost been an hour Norah. You know the things that could have happened in the Hob-"

"Gale." Katniss says, cutting him off. He looks over at her and she just smirks at him, "Stop treating her like a child, she's fine."

Gale just stares at Katniss and then looks at me. He eyes move back and forth between the two of us before he says, "Since when have you two become friends?" He asks and Katniss takes a seat on my kitchen counter.

"Since you've been driving poor Norah insane." She replies and Gale focuses on me.

"I got you this." I say awkwardly and Gale lifts a brow at me, "I figured it would help you move around more, maybe get outside and get some fresh air."

There's a small smile on Gale's face, it's crooked like only one side of his mouth can lift, but it's genuine. "Thank you." He says and I hand it to him, helping him to his feet before hovering around him, nervously just in case he can't stand with the cane.

He's slouched over because stretching his back out all the way puts a lot of pressure on his ribs. He walks a few steps and even though he's slow and his leg is still heavy and hard for him to move. He trips over the corner of the rug and I move fast to catch him. I steady him and he smirks at me, his free hand sliding down to come and rest on my lower back. Katniss tries her best not to look awkward but her lips do flatten to a straight line.

After a few seconds of silence she says, "You managed to age about fifty years with that cane." She says to Gale and he rolls his eyes at her, smirking at her attempt to tease him.

Gale's fingertips dig gently into my lower back and I look up at him lifting my brows, "Stop it." I murmur before turning back to Katniss and saying, "Do you want to help me sew some baby clothes for Bristle?"

"No." Katniss says too quickly and I smile at her.

"Come on you need the practice for the test, you said so yourself." I reply before walking down the hallway and gathering up my sewing kit from home and then the baby clothes.

"I don't want to mess them up Norah." Katniss says before eyeing the clothes like they could possibly explode in my hands at any second.

"We can take the stitches that are wrong out. It's not a big deal Katniss." I say before putting everything onto the dining room table. "Come on, it's just sewing needles and thread, nothing to be afraid of."

"I'm not afraid." Katniss says, but she doesn't move from her spot on the counter. I sit down at the table and Gale slowly joins me, taking the seat next to me. He lazily drapes his arm over my chair and I try not to act like it's a big deal even though I'm screaming on the inside.

"Then get over here." Gale says and I lift my brow at her, she chews hard on her lip before sighing and sitting in the seat across from us.

I take two needles from my kit and toss her an item of clothing that doesn't need to be stitched up too much. "Pick some thread that matches the clothes and then thread the needle like so." I say before demonstrating. I wet the end of the thread with my tongue and then close one of my eyes so that I have more precision to thread the needle.

Katniss copies my actions, but it takes her a few times to get the needle threaded. When she finally gets it done I show her step by step on how to mend tears and then patch up holes with extra pieces of cloth. She watches me closely and then copies my actions, it sometimes takes her a few times but she gets a hang of it after a while.

"Your stitches look terrible compared to Norah's," Gale says before pointing at one of Katniss' and chuckling, "what happened to that one?"

"Shut up." She says and Gale chuckles again. I nudge Gale in the ribs and he cringes, giving me a look which I return.

"She's doing really well Gale, besides the test is only there to make sure that you can at least perform your household duties. You don't need to be a pro at it." I say the second part towards Katniss and she chews her lip again before glancing at the clock.

"I should get home," she says as she gets up. She stares at the sewing kit and the baby clothes for a few moments before saying, "Do you have something I can practice with?"

"Of course, I think Gale has a few work shirts that need some mending." I say before getting up and heading towards our bedroom.

"She's going to make them look worse." He calls after me and then I hear him take a sharp breath. Katniss chuckles and Gale mumbles something at her about his ribs still being bruised, it makes her chuckle even more and I can't help but smile to myself as I walk down the hall. The two of them really were best friends and their relationship honestly made me miss my friends, especially Margo, so much more.

I grab two of Gale's torn work shirts and bring them back to Katniss. Gale is now sitting on the couch with his book in his hands and Katniss is waiting by the front door. She yawns and I hand her the shirts, "You should relax Katniss." I tell her and she shakes her head.

"I told Prim I would do something with her today." Katniss says and I smile thinking of Persi and how I we would always go for a swim on Sundays. I hoped she still did since I couldn't anymore.

"Alright, we'll see you later than Katniss." I say and she nods her head to me and then to Gale.

I watch her walk down the street for a while until I can't see her anymore.

I try to force the window in the bedroom closed because Gale still hasn't fixed it. I don't blame him because he's been out of it but since staying at the Everdeen's I forgot how absolutely freezing it is in here.

"Norah, just get extra blankets." Gale says, looking up at me from his book.

"How many times have you read that since you've been injured?" I ask and Gale looks back down at his book. I figure he's ignoring my question so I head towards the linen closet to grab some old quilts that are tucked away in there.

They smell like dust and I sneeze a few times, shaking them out in the hallways before placing them on the bed. "I've read it about three times all the way through." Gale says when I come back into the bedroom and pile the blankets on, "And to be honest I'm kind of getting tired of it."

"Maybe I can make a trade for a new book for you next Sunday." I say and he shakes his head at me. "I like the Hob; it reminds me of the fish market back at home."

"Right, but I'm sure the fish market wasn't as dangerous." Gale says and I crawl into bed next to him, blowing out the candle that's set up on my nightstand.

"The Hob doesn't seem all that dangerous." I say and Gale shakes his head.

"It is, trust me." Gale replies and I roll my eyes, placing my head on my pillow and watching him read.

He reads a few pages before I yawn and say, "Are you going to turn out your light anytime soon?" I ask and Gale smirks, looking over at me. "You know some of us do have work in the morning." I continue and the corners of his mouth tug up, like he wants to smile but he won't.

"Oh do you have to work?" He asks sarcastically and I nod my head.

"Well not all of us are as lazy as you." I say and he rolls over, grabbing me and poking my sides. I squeal in laughter and in surprise because I wasn't ready for him to tickle me. I try to push him away but he's too strong. I laugh until I feel like I might die because I can no longer breath, he finally stops when I accidently hit him too hard in the ribs.

"Oh my god Gale, I'm so sorry." I say, sitting up quickly and touching his arm gently because I'm too scared to touch his ribs again. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah." He gasps out before resting back against his pillows, "Do you think you could blow out the candle? I'm lazy remember." He says before smiling a tad bit at me. I sigh and crawl out of bed, hurrying because I feel like my feet are going to freeze onto the floors.

I blow out the candle on his nightstand and hurry back around. In the dark I stub my toe hard against the bedframe and fall. I hear Gale chuckle before he asks if I'm alright.

"I'm fine." I say and Gale chuckles again as I crawl back into bed.

I get situated back under the covers, this time laying closer to Gale because heat just seems to radiate off of him. I lay facing him and once my eyes adjust to the darkness I can see his chest rise and fall slowly. Gale looks over at me and I feel my cheeks heat up in a blush because I know he's staring right into my eyes, even in the darkness I know that his dark grey eyes are meeting my brown.

"Are you happy here?" He asks and I'm so caught off guard by the question that I feel like I forgot how to breathe.

"I don't know." I say, figuring Gale would roll back over and just go to sleep but he continues to look at me. "Why?"

"Because you just seem happier." He answers and I bite the inside of my cheek hard enough to break the skin. "You still really miss home though, don't you?"

"Yes." I say before rubbing my face with my hands, "It's getting somewhat easier though. I think I'm just getting used to the grey of District Twelve."

"Can I do anything to make it easier?" He asks and I take a deep breath.

"I don't think so. I think it's just something that I need to continue to get used to." I say and he stays silent.

I scoot a bit closer to him, trying to steal as much heat as I can from him. I close my eyes and begin to doze off, "Norah?" He whispers.

"Hmm?" I hum, trying to break out of my doze to hear him.

"I'm glad that it's you." He says but I don't reply because I'm already too far gone to even wrap my mind around what he said.

* * *

So let's give a round of applause to my new beta _aorangeinboston, _you guys should go read her work too. I really like her Harry Potter fic.

This is actually kind of a long chapter and I have no idea why, because nothing really big happens in it. Thanks for all the wonderful reviews you guys, I really appreciate it!

Let me know what you think!


	18. Chapter 18

When I wake up that morning I'm surprised by how close I am lying next to Gale. I'm tucked against his back and his arm is backwards around me, sharing each other's warmth. I begin to move away from him but in his sleep he tightens his grip and mumbles incoherently. I stay frozen, lying next to him unsure if I should move or stay close.

Gale's breaths are even and slow and I can't help but lift my head up a bit to watch him in his sleep. He's content and his face is smooth, there's no crinkle in his brow from scowling or smirk on his face. He's just blank, a smooth canvas; Gale looks younger in his sleep, like there's nothing bothering him in his dreams at all. In the time I've been here I don't think I've ever seen him so content and I'm glad I've finally gotten to see this side. He looks vulnerable, calm, and human. It makes me fall for him that much more.

I decide that I should probably get up since I still have to work. I wiggle out from underneath his arm and start to crawl slowly out of the bed. He moves his arm and his warm hand grabs my arm gently, he opens his eyes slowly and smiles drowsily. "Good morning."

"Morning." I say shyly, fighting the blush that is starting to climb up to my cheeks. He moves his thumb in a slow circle on my skin and my eyes lock with his. "How did you sleep?"

"Well I was warm." Gale says, lifting his brow up and I smile slightly looking down at the quilt we sleep on. There's a hole that's slowly getting larger, it had come with the house that way and it makes me wonder about the people who had it before us, how it had gotten ripped, if it was a wedding present or if a new wife had made it for her husband and family. Why hadn't their child who stayed in the District didn't take it? Had the Capitol made them disappear and that's why this house and some of the left over belongings are here for us? This is what I never could understand about the Capitol, whenever they took someone away their belongings always stayed. It was eerie, almost ghost like seeing the houses filled with items that had some kind of empty memory to them that I would never know. Perhaps the Capitol left the belongings as a kind of reminder, as if they're saying 'look at what we can do, one moment you're here and the next you're nothing'. I'm going to have to patch up this hole.

Gale says something and there's a pause, I look up at him again and realize he's waiting on me, all the thoughts of the quilt getting pushed out of my mind.

"What?" I ask, not really sure of what his question was

"What are you thinking about?" He asks again. I move away from him and he releases the grip on my arm. I sit up and face him, tucking my legs up to my chest and resting my chin on my knees. We look at each other for a while and I don't know if I should tell him my thoughts or not. Thinking about the house and the family that could have or couldn't have been taken away makes me think of Elise and I didn't want to think about that day anymore.

"Norah." Gale says quietly, his voice low and filled with concern, "At least tell me that you're ok." He says and I nod my head, smiling slightly.

"I was just thinking about the quilt." I say and Gale stares at me, waiting for me to continue, "Well there's a hole in it and I just was wondering who had the quilt before us."

"You were thinking that hard about a quilt?" He asks and I nod my head, feeling stupid.

"I just, I mean there were people who lived here before us and they had children and probably still have a child, maybe even grandchildren who still live here. And if- if that's the case, then shouldn't they get this quilt? I mean their family member made it and it would be like having a piece of them." I say and Gale smiles a bit, shaking his head. "You're laughing at me." I say feeling even more stupid. I should know to just keep my thoughts to myself.

"No, I'm not." He says as his smile turns into a smirk.

"Yes you are." I say shaking my head and scooting a bit away from him, "It was stupid, forget I said anything."

"Norah," Gale says but I can't look up to find him smirking at me, "Norah I'm not laughing at you," he says and I give him a small glance, "okay, maybe I am laughing just a bit, but it's not at you. I just- I like when you tell me things."

"Why? It's not like I say anything special." I reply quietly and Gale brushes his hand next to mine.

"When you talk like this you do." Gale answers and his hand gently encloses around mine. "You make yourself seem more real to me. When you don't act like the perfect wife that the Capitol wants you to be, I remember that you're real. That you had a life in District Four, a family and friends, that I still have no idea who you are."

"I'm just Norah." I reply and Gale's thumb runs over my scar, "I grew up in a standard home that was a light orange color. It faced the ocean, and sometimes when you opened my bedroom window the sea air would make its way inside. My father is named Adam, he is a native to District Four and I got his unruly red hair. My mother Tanya grew up in District Seven, she's the softest spoken and understanding person in the world."

"And your siblings?" He asks and I bite my lip, remembering the people that I love so dearly that it makes my chest hurt.

"I have one older sister, Kassi; she's contracted to someone in District Ten. She's a splitting image of my mother, with dark hair and even darker eyes. I have an older brother, Finnick; he gets to stay in District Four and he's married to a woman named Annie. They have one son together, named Finn who will never remember me because he was so young when I had to leave. Finnick is the protective older brother type, he gave Sinon a black eye once because he accidently got a fishing hook stuck in my scalp. Then I have Persi and I miss her so much. She's my baby sister, she's brilliant and brave, and so outspoken. I miss them so much."

I wipe the tears from my eyes impatiently and Gale squeezes my hand. The silence between us is comforting and he waits until my breathing is even again before ge asks another question, "What was Sinon like?"

"He's funny and easy-going. He's a fisherman like his father and if I didn't have to be contracted, I would have married him." I say completely honest and Gale tenses just a bit next to me, "I would have been really happy with him."

"So you're not happy here?" He asks and I can feel his hand beginning to slip off of mine.

"Yes and no." I say, pulling his hand back, "Yes because I can't imagine being contracted to a better family. All of you were so welcoming and really reminded me of the people I left at home. No, because of how different everything is here. I miss waking up and going swimming on Sunday's or having family dinners."

When Gale doesn't reply I tug on his hand and get him to look at me. I suddenly remember last night, when he told me that he was glad that it was me, "Yes, because I don't think I would want to have been contracted to anyone else. I like you Gale." I say awkwardly, which makes me sound like I'm some adolescent school girl.

"Like, like-like me or just like me?" He asks and I smile at him. He smiles crookedly back at me and touches my face gently.

"I think like-like is kind of a big commitment." I say and he chuckles in reply. "What are you thinking about?" I ask him and he tucks my hair behind my ear.

Instead of replying Gale pulls me a bit closer to him so that our faces are inches from each other, his lips hover close to mine and I know that he's waiting for me to close the distance between us. I panic for second because I don't know what to. I want to kiss him, but the idea of it kind of terrifies me. Gale exhales slowly and I shyly look down, biting my lips.

His thumb brushes over my cheekbone softly and I close my eyes, working up the courage to close the distance. His lips are soft and gentle against mine, I wrap my arms around his neck and his hands slide slowly down to my hip bones. Kissing Gale is nothing like kissing Sinon, kissing Gale is better. A lot better. There's something there, something warm that is settling in my chest and the butterflies in my stomach are fluttering around. The warmth in my chest spreads out to my fingertips and I wonder if he can feel the energy that is radiating from me.

Gale smiles before he breaks the kiss and I'm left with my head buzzing and my lips tingling. I open my eyes slowly and Gale cups my face again. I bite my lip and break into a small smile looking at him feeling the blood rushing to my cheeks in a blush. Gale shakes his head at me and says, "I think you're going to be late for work."

"Right, work." I say getting off the bed and stumbling to the dresser. I grab my clothes hurriedly and awkwardly, it makes Gale chuckle behind me causing my nerves to explode even more. "You know you can change in the bedroom." He adds causing me stop in my tracks at the doorframe.

"I'm- I'm okay." I say and Gale chuckles again, laying back on the bed and smirking. I hurry to the bathroom and close the door tight behind me.

I grab the counter and take a deep breath trying to calm the butterflies that are still flapping in my stomach. This kiss was everything I expected kissing my husband to be. I smile, meeting my own eyes in the cracked bathroom mirror and studying mysel, wanting to see if there's any change in me from the kiss.

There are slight changes in my physical appearance but not the changes that I wanted to see. I'm skinnier, paler, and have heavy bags underneath my eyes. I look older more tired, but I don't know if that's a good thing or not. I swallow, feeling the electricity from the kiss starting to fade away when I realize how I'm starting to turn grey like the rest of District Twelve.

I open the door to the bathroom, stumbling out quickly trying to get away from my reflection. I needed air, but when I look out the window that's in my grey kitchen I feel even more trapped. There's no blue sky here, it's hidden behind a thick layer of grey clouds. I feel my eyes begin to tear up; I miss the brightly colored houses like the fish in the reef. I miss the blue sky. I miss how the sun would make everything seem more vibrant than it really was. I miss not having everything being covered in a layer of coal dust.

"Norah?" Gale says behind me and I turn to face him, not bothering to cover up the fact that I'm in tears. "What's wrong?" He asks in a panic because my tears came on so quickly. I remember being so happy a second ago. "Norah, did I do something wrong?"

"No." I say shakily, "No I wanted to kiss you, but I just look." I say motioning to everything around me, "Look how damn grey and lifeless everything is here. I can't even see the sky here Gale, I feel trapped. I - "

"Norah," he says, pulling me towards him and letting my head rest against his chest. I cry so hard that tears soak through his night shirt and I feel like I can't stand up anymore.

"How am I supposed to be happy here when I can't even see the sky?" I ask him pathetically and he leads me over to the couch, sitting me down and then hobbling over to the kitchen to get me a glass of water.

I hiccup and sip on the water, looking at Gale as he sits there patiently, waiting for me to relax again. "I want to be happy with you Gale, but I just miss home so much."

"If I could bring you back to District Four I would." He answers before tucking a loose piece of my hair behind my ear, "You just need time and we have time. I'm not forcing you to do anything."

"But Capitol law says-"

"I know what the law says, we have to have a child by the first year, but screw the Capitol, Norah. You're not happy and I'm not going to make it worse. Don't feel pressured by them, when you're happy here, happy with me we'll do what we have to. But until then I want to focus on you, how I can make everything else until that moment easier on you." Gale says a bit harshly but I know it's only because he has to talk about the Capitol. Like my father and brother, Gale is a rebel at heart and I don't know how I should feel about that. On one hand, it makes me feel less homesick, like I have a piece of my father and brother here with me. On the other hand, the rebellious trait makes me weary, it's not safe to be so outspoken with your personal thoughts. I didn't want to be some empty memory, like a hole in a quilt.

"But I am happy with you and your family, it's just District Twelve. I mean look at what it's doing to me, I've never been this shade before." I say, putting my arm next to his to show how pale I've really become. "I've never had bags under my eyes and I've lost so much weight that my cheekbones are sticking out."

"Norah," Gale chuckles and I bite my lip at the way he breathes out my name, "I don't see anything wrong with any of that. I don't, I still think you look as beautiful as you did during the match ceremony when you were on the big screen in the District. I'll tell you right now everyone was jealous."

"You're a liar." I say, smiling a tad bit and feeling a little bit better.

"Why would I lie?" He asks and I shake my head at him, "You really don't realize how special you are to people do you?"

"I have to go to work." I say in an attempt to change the subject.

"Do you work at the bakery tonight?" He asks as I pull my gloves onto my hands.

"Yep, the Mellarks have been baking a lot more, getting everything ready for the Autumn Festival next week." I say and Gale smiles, "Why?"

"Just wondering, hurry home ok?" He says and I smile at him.

"I always do."

"What are you two doing home?" I ask as I hang my coat up on the hooks next to the Hawthorne's front door. Rory and Vick look up at me with big grins on their faces.

"School was canceled today, something about building inspection." Rory says and Hazelle sighs, trying to move around her sons to continue with the laundry.

"Oh," I say as I watch Hazelle struggle trying to work around her sons who are taking over the entire table with blocks and drawing paper, "How about we send the kids to my house? I'm sure Gale would love to spend time with the three of them."

"Can't leave Prim's coming over." Rory says and Vick snickers next to him.

"Oh your girlfriend?" Vick asks as he makes a kissy face as his brother.

"Shut up!" Rory says throwing a wad of paper at Vick, but the younger of the two continues to tease, "Shut up Vicktor!"

Vick laughs and wipes his eyes like this is the funniest thing he's done all week and I smile, ruffling his thick black hair. "Prim can go to my house too Rory." I say and Rory shrugs his shoulders, refusing to look up because he's blushing profusely.

"Yes and I'm sure that Katniss would love to escort all of you there." Hazelle says before giving me a basket, "Now can you please get started Norah? I need all of these washed, pressed, and folded before the day's over."

"Yes ma'am." I say before setting the basket down next to my wash bin to get started.

Katniss, thankfully takes all the kids over to my house giving Hazelle and I enough room and no distractions to get our work done. We work in silence, occasionally exchanging words like how the weather is getting colder and that the kids are all excited for the fall festival. As the clothes pile begins to dwindle I work up the courage to tell Hazelle that Gale and I kissed.

I'm not sure how to word the sentence so I just come out and say it, my words are rushed and bundled together when I say, "Gale and I kissed."

"What?" Hazelle gasps, "And you're just telling me know!"

"It happened this morning." I say and Hazelle beams with happiness.

"And?" She asks and I feel the smile spread on my face, I bite my lip in an attempt to contain it.

"And you were right; the Capitol does know what they're doing when making matches." I say and she smiles widely, giving me an 'I told you so sort of look'.

"So how are things?" Peeta asks as we dry all the pans and cookie sheets that we just got done washing.

"Things are starting to look up." I say and Peeta smiles genuinely at me.

"Gale's doing ok?" Peeta asks and I nod my head, explaining to Peeta that the bruises are starting to heal right up. "That's good, it means that you'll be able to end work at a decent time."

"It also means that you'll be stuck doing all the dishes here." I point out and Peeta shrugs his shoulders.

"I don't mind it. I like to work in the bakery." Peeta answers but I could understand how he could like working here. If it wasn't for his unpleasant mother I would enjoy working here too, the bakery had a very laid back, very warm, and very home-like feeling to it. It was comfortable to work here.

"How's Katniss?" Peeta asks and I do my best not to smile at his question. He asks me at least every other day about her and it's making it quite obvious that the boy has certain feelings for a girl in the Seam.

"I haven't seen her for a few days but I assume that Katniss is fine." I say and Peeta nods his head.

"She hasn't brought my dad anything to trade in a while." Peeta says and I shrug my shoulders in response.

"It's probably because I've been giving her the left over bread from the bakery that you let me take." I say and Peeta sighs, his shoulders slouching as he tosses the rag over his shoulder.

"Maybe I can get her to stop by." I say and Peeta makes a face towards me. "Oh come on Peeta, your feelings for her are obvious."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Peeta says and I roll my eyes.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about." I answer but Peeta refuses to look at me, "Look I'm not going to say anything Peeta, but you two are going to be matched in a year and a half. So if you want to tell her anything, I would do it before it's too late."

"I can't, some things are just better left unsaid Norah." Peeta replies and I sigh, deciding I have nothing left to say on the topic. It is after all Peeta's choice. "Come on, it's getting late."

My house is brightly lit when I get home and I'm surprised because Gale usually is in front of the fire reading when I get home from work. When I walk inside I'm hit by the scent of wet paint and I stand in the doorframe surprised by the sight in my kitchen.

The cabinets are all painted a pale yellow and the broken ones that were hanging off on one hinge are now fixed. I bite my lip and cover my mouth, laughing into my hands. "Gale!" I say and he chuckles, wiping his hands off on a rag.

"You were right, things were a little grey." He says and I feel my eyes tear up again, "Why are you crying now?" Gale asks and I wipe my eyes a smile still plastered on my face.

"I'm happy, it's perfect." I say and Gale grins.

"Well I didn't do it alone. I got a few friends to come over and fix the cabinets, Katniss traded for the paint at the Hob and found some curtains, and my siblings helped paint." Gale says and I smile at him, shaking my head and walking quickly over to hug him.

Gale squeezes me tightly and I keep my arms wrapped around his neck, "I love it." I say and Gale holds me a bit tighter.

"I'm glad, I figured that we could just brighten the place up throughout the years." Gale says and I nod my head in agreement.

"While everyone was doing that, what were you doing?" I ask and Gale smiles nodding his head down the hallway.

"Got the bedroom window to unstick." Gale answers and I stand on my toes to press a quick kiss to his cheek, but he turns his head so that our lips touch instead.

I pull away from him surprised but his arms lock, keeping me in place. "Almost like home?" He whispers to me and I nod my head slowly.

"It's getting there." I reply, as I rest my head on his chest and sigh, thanking him again for chasing away some of the grey.

* * *

Sorry for the lack of posts, I've been busy with AP testing and finals. The good news is that I'll be graduating Thursday so I'll be able to update more since I have pretty much no life during the summer.

Let me know what you think!


	19. Chapter 19

"You're up early." Gale yawns as he walks into the kitchen. His shoulders are rolled back and he's walking a lot taller than he has been.

"I couldn't wait to make breakfast in my new kitchen." I answer sheepishly and Gale smiles, limping to his chair at the dining room table. "I'm glad you're feeling better."

Gale winks at me and grabs one of the napkins off the table, "So what's for breakfast?" He asks as he leans across the table to drink some of my tea.

"Hey," I say swatting his hand away with the spatula I'm using. Gale chuckles and still manages to swipe my cup and drink some of the contents inside.

"That's really good tea." He says and I shake my head at him, turning back to check on the oatmeal and pieces of fish that Katniss had brought over when she helped Gale paint the kitchen.

"Yes, I know." I reply as I scoop some of breakfast onto plates for us. I place a plate in front of him and sighs looking at the meager plate of food. "Supplies are already starting to get low." I say, sitting next to him and placing a napkin in my lap, "It's not even winter and the District is starting to have shortenings."

"We always do." Gale replies before casting a reassuring glance in my direction, "We'll be fine Norah, I've survived eighteen winters here and so have a countless amount of others."

"I'm just worried." I say and Gale drapes his arm over the back of my chair in comfort.

"I know, but you don't need to be." He says before pressing a kiss to my temple and returning to his breakfast.

We eat in silence, our forks scraping across plates and the soft sound of chewing. After a while of silence I break it by asking, "What exactly is the Autumn Festival?"

"It's for the entire District, if gives us a chance to come together. A lot of the shops have discounts on food or give out free things, that's why the bakery has been in overdrive in baking. Everyone in the district just wants to make sure we all have enough food and supplies until we're completely cut-off when the trains aren't able to come and go anymore."

"Why can't the trains leave?" I ask and Gale licks his lips before continuing.

"Snow usually blocks them from moving, it also means that the mines are out of commission during that time as well. We can't keep collecting coal is we have no way of distributing it out." Gale says and I catch on quickly.

"Which means that the Capitol isn't paying the District for the coal." I say and Gale nods slowly, "And if the trains can't get out, it means that they can't come in either. Which is why we have a winter shortage right?"

"Yes and why we have the Autumn Festival." Gale says and I look down at the empty plate in front of me, on cue, my stomach growls. "It's the one time the Town and Seam trust each other, the one time we depend on each other to keep one another alive."

"What do the people of the Seam have to offer the people in Town?" I ask and Gale smiles at me.

"Loads of things." He says, "Many people from the Seam grow some of the best produce or knit the best sweaters or scarves. I usually just promise most people fresh game throughout the winter in exchange for everything I – we need."

"Yes, but you're not going to be fully healed in time to hunt during the winter." I say and Gale rolls his eyes.

"I'll be just fine." He says curtly and I know now is not the time to push the subject.

As I start to wash the few dishes we used I feel anxiety begin to bloom at the idea of a harsh winter. I don't think I've ever gone to bed hungry and I honestly don't like the idea of my future children every being hungry either.

My thoughts are broken by the image of Katniss, running down the road to our house. I lift my brows in curiosity and meet her at the door. She's surprised by how quickly I answer the door but she pushes inside and looks at me and Gale.

"Bristle went into labor last night." Katniss pants out, "She had a little girl early this morning."

"Little Tula." I say with a smile, remembering the conversation we had awhile back and Katniss nods her head a small smile forming on her lips.

"Thom wanted me to fetch the two of you to see her." Katniss adds and I look at Gale, a smile stretching across my face.

"Oh Gale, let's go." I say and he sighs, rubbing his forehead.

"I'm sure Thom didn't mean right now Norah, we can stop by tomorrow." He says and I sigh, looking over at Katniss who is smirking at the exchange between the two of us.

"Thom kind of wanted the two of you there today." Katniss says and Gale lifts a brow at her, "There's a Capitol specialist and a few Peacekeepers coming to make sure everything turned out okay.

Gale nods stiffly and gets up, he begins to put his coat on and then helps me into mine. "I don't understand why that changed your mind. They did the same thing in District Four, they just want to make sure the baby developed correctly." I say and Gale hands me my gloves, a scowl plastered to his face.

"And make sure the baby is actually there's." Gale says and I stare at him as he slips on his shoes, "They've been watching the two of them for a while Norah, they didn't have a baby by their cutoff date."

"Oh, but why would does that mean we need to be there?" I ask and Gale leads me out the front door.

"Thom sometimes has a worse temper than I do."

By the time Gale and I arrive the Capitol specialist is already there. Thom is fuming next to the bedroom door that is guarded by two Peacekeepers, keeping him from entering. I hear a baby crying and Bristle talking sternly, she's arguing with the Capitol specialist, telling them that there's no way she's coming near her daughter with a needle that size. No way in hell.

The door opens and the Peacekeepers push Thom back away from the specialist forcefully. Thom tenses and takes a steady step forward. I can tell that adrenaline is rushing through his veins because he barely leans against his cane at this moment.

"Gale." I whisper, touching his arm to keep him back with me. I didn't want him to be beat by them again.

"Mr. Greyson, I need you to speak with your wife about cooperating. The more she refuses the more I believe that the two of you have something to hide." The specialist says darkly and I feel the hairs on my arms rise at the sound of her voice.

"Just give me a minute with her." Thom says, pushing past her and the Peacekeepers, when the specialist goes to follow Thom turns and adds, "Alone." Before shutting the door in the woman's face.

I can hear Thom's voice murmuring quietly to Bristle who seems to be weeping quietly. I look at Gale and then rest my head against his arm, feeling my heart pound in my chest. The Peacekeepers eye us and Gale, straightens out even more.

"Can we help the two of you with something?" The first Peacekeeper asks us and I clutch onto Gale's sleeve with more force.

"Just checking on everything." Gale replies and the Peacekeeper glares at Gale.

"Just stay out of our way." He replies and Gale nods, backing up slowly and leading me to the couch where Katniss is already sitting. She seems to be just as tense as Gale as she watches the exchange between my husband and the Peacekeeper.

"Just stay on the couch until they leave." Gale says to Katniss and I. He presses a kiss to my temple and then gets up, leaning coolly against the wall, watching the door for Thom.

When the sobbing stops on the other side of the door, Thom reappears keeping the door open for the specialist to walk through. He watches for a brief moment, not moving from the doorway and a Peacekeeper puts a hand on his shoulder. Thom knocks it off and turns to face him. There's a moment where I'm sure a fight is going to break out but Gale intervenes quickly, grabbing Thom by the collar of his shirt. When his friend turns he relaxes upon realizing that it's just Gale.

"It's not worth it." Gale says, tugging him away. "Go sit on the couch and let Norah make everyone some tea."

At the sound of my name I stand up quickly, shuffling into the kitchen and hanging the kettle over the slowly dying fire. I lay out the cups and meet Gale's eyes, he's now sitting on the couch in between Thom and Katniss, and I glance at the Peacekeepers wondering if I should make a cup for them. He mouths the word, offer, to me and I sigh looking at Peacekeeper number one.

"Would the two of you like any tea?" I ask and Peacekeeper number one shakes his head.

"No." He says straight to the point and I nod my head, taking out four cups instead of six.

"Make Bristel some." Thom says and I look at him, meeting his eyes that seem to be so defeated. The baby starts crying again and he cringes, hunching over and pulling at his own hair.

Comfort him. I mouth to Gale before turning back to the tea. The baby's cries get louder and I glance at the bedroom door, if I wanted to break in there and save little Tula than I could only imagine how Thom felt.

The bedroom door creaks open and all of us look towards the door where the specialist is appearing. "Everything is in order, our services are no longer needed." She says and the Peacekeepers begin to exit the house.

The specialist passes everyone with her nose up, except for me. "I see you aren't carrying yet." She says and I back up a little from her.

Gale stands and the Peacekeepers appear at the door again. The same way Gale had done, Thom stands next to Gale as well, ready to intervene at a moment's notice. "No, not yet." I say calmly, even though my knees are knocking together.

"Well you are running out of time." The specialist says with a smile. I lick my lips nervously, noticing that something is not quite right with her eyes. They seem artificial, almost electronic. "We wouldn't want something to happen, would we?"

"Don't threaten my wife." Gale growls, stepping forward but Thom keeps him back. One threatening move and the Peacekeepers will swarm.

"I'm not Mr. Hawthrone, just stating the facts." She says with a flash of a smile towards Gale, her teeth are sharp and I look down, terrified of her. "We wouldn't want to finish off the Hawthorne family, you have good genes."

Gale shakes with anger and thankfully her watch beeps, "Ah, well I must be going. I hope to see you very soon Mrs. Hawthorne." She calls before exiting the house. Katniss gets up and slams the door before locking it tight.

"Norah," Thom says, breaking the silence that has settled over all of us, "you should come see the baby."

I look at Gale who nods his head in permission, "Come on Katniss." I say, grabbing her hand because I'm so shaken up I just need someone to comfort me. She squeezes my hand in return and follows me into the room.

Bristle is frowning, rubbing her daughters tiny arm. "I heard everything." She states when we walk inside, and let me tell you Norah if I was in there I would have given that lady a piece of my mind. How dare she walk into my house and threaten anyone like that."

"It's fine." I say and Bristel shakes her head.

"No it's not, you should be able to have a baby whenever you want. It's bad enough that they take away our right to marry. Now they get to decide when to have our children too." Bristle rants and I rub my face.

"Bristle please." I breathe out looking at her, "I'm not in the mood."

"Well, do you want to hold Tula?" She asks and I nod my head, reaching out to take the small little baby from her arms. "Watch her head." Bristle says and I laugh, gently stroking the baby's soft skin.

"She's beautiful Bristle." I say and Bristle smile, beaming down at the tiny human in my arms.

"She really is." Bristel replies, she gets all choked up and I laugh a bit at her, "I didn't think I could love something so much, so quickly. It's like nothing I've ever felt before."

"Well you almost killed the Capitol specialist." Katniss says and Bristles chuckles.

"I didn't want her to put that needle in my daughters arm. I don't know what she's injecting, for all I know it could have been a tracker." Bristel says before her eyes widen like she's had some kind of epiphany, "Perhaps it was a tracker, I mean did you see that woman's eyes."

"I think you're being paranoid." Katniss says with a chuckle and I lick my lips.

"Perhaps, but something wasn't right. That woman knew far too much about all of us." Bristle says before she breaks into a wide smile, "Hi Thomas."

"Hi," he replies at the doorway, he looks so content now, "do you want your tea?"

"Please." Bristel says and Thom winks at her, before disappearing behind the wall to go back to the kitchen.

I turn my attention back to Tula, who's beginning to stir in her sleep. I hum a short little tune to her and Bristel whistles in amazement. "You have a gift with children Norah."

"I had some practice with my nephew." I reply, looking at the doorway where Thom and now Gale have appeared.

"You're wife's getting a bit too attached to that baby." Thom says, casting a teasing glance at Gale, who smiles a bit in return.

"I can see that." Gale says, meeting my eyes, "But I guess it won't be too long now until we have one of our own."

"I guess not." I reply, swallowing the lump that has built up in my throat.

"What's wrong?" Peeta asks and I jump at the sound of his voice. Since I missed work with Hazelle I decided that I should get as many hours as I could at the Mellark's bakery.

"Nothing." I say as I continue to wipe the plate with my dishrag.

"Are you sure? Because you've been drying that one plate for about twenty minutes." Peeta says and I put the plate down quickly, slinging the towel over my shoulder and sighing.

"I'm just worried." I say and Peeta jumps up onto the counter, waiting to let me vent.

"About what?" He asks, pushing me to start talking.

"Everything. The fact that Gale isn't working, and the whole winter shortage, and now I now that the Capitol is watching, waiting for me to get pregnant because I barely have two months if I'm going to have a child within the cutoff date."

"A lot of people don't have children with in the cutoff date." Peeta says.

"Yes, but I need to be at least seven, eight or nine months pregnant by the cutoff date and I'm just not ready to do that in the next three months. I like Gale, I really do but I'm not ready for that." I say, my voice quivering and I cover my face to keep the tears from slipping down my cheeks.

"I think you will be." Peeta says "and even if you're not, I know you'll do what's right by your family, by Gale's family."

"That doesn't make me feel better Peeta." I say and he sighs, putting a steady on my shoulder.

"I know, but it has to happen." Peeta says and I sigh, "And you're lucky that you're married to Gale because he'll do anything for you Norah, you know that. Family always come first for him and now so do you."

"I know, thanks Peeta." I say and he smiles at me. We continue our work in silence until it's time for me to leave. When we get to my front door, before he can leave I say, "Katniss' favorite bread is the cheese kind, just in case you were interested."

Peeta's cheeks go pink and I smile at him, "Goodnight Norah." He says and I chuckle heading inside.

Gale's waiting for me like he always is, "Come here." He says scooting over on the couch to make room for me in front of the fire. "You're freezing Norah." He says, pulling up the blanket so that the two of us are covered.

"What are we going to do?" I ask and Gale wraps his arm around my shoulders.

watching the shadows from the fire dance on his face.

"Sit here until you're warm." He says and I laugh, looking up towards him.

"I mean about the Capitol." I say and Gale sighs.

"I know, but I promise Norah, we'll figure something out." Gale says, squeezing my shoulder reassuringly, "We'll be fine."

* * *

Follow me on tumblr, the link is on my profile and also read the Gale one-shot that I posted about what he thought about his matches.

Let me know what you think!


	20. Chapter 20

"Can I wear your gloves?" I ask Gale as he helps me slip into my coat. We're heading towards the Town to participate in the festivities of the Harvest Festival, and as much as I hate to admit it, the weather is starting to get freezing. I know for a fact that the heavy rain that has recently hit the District will soon turn into snow.

"What's wrong with your gloves?" Gale asks but he hands me his anyways, shaking his head a little as he watches me put them on. I like Gale's gloves better because of how much thicker they are and that they're lined with wool, thinning wool, but still warm nonetheless.

"Would you like to wear my coat and hat too?" Gale asks and I smile, looking up at him to see the teasing grin that has spread on his slips.

"No, I don't want you to freeze." I say and Gale chuckles, reaching into his coat pocket to pull out another pair of gloves. They're thinner than the ones I took from him but he doesn't seem to mind too much.

"It's not even winter and look how bundled up you are." Gale says before tugging at my scarf and smirking, "You look ridiculous."

"It's freezing." I say and Gale shakes his head at me, "The coldest it got in District Four was fifty degrees and even then the sun still came out. I've never been in weather like this."

"You'll get used to it." Gale says before ushering me out of the house, "Come on we better hurry, we've got lots of trades to make today."

I link my arm with Gale's and he pulls me in close to him so that I can steal some of his body heat. "What's snow like?" I ask Gale and he looks at me curiously for a moment before chuckling.

"Well it's supposed to be white." Gale says, pausing for a moment so that he can fix his glove, "Snow's supposed to be white and soft, snow's supposed to be dazzling and beautiful or at least that's how it's explained in books, but here in District Twelve, like everything else the coal takes away the natural beauty and turns it dull."

"I guess that shouldn't be surprising to me." I say as we begin to join the large crowd of people from the Seam heading towards Town with their goods to trade. Gale doesn't hold anything to trade with people, other than his word and I really hope that it's enough because it's not just me he has to take care of. There are three young children that are still depending on their older brother to bring them fresh food.

"No it shouldn't," Gale says as he nods his head towards one of his co-workers. I smile at his wife and then turn my attention back to Gale, "But the snow's only ugly in the District, it's beautiful in the woods."

"Yes, too bad I'm not allowed to go out there." I say and Gale chuckles nudging me a bit with his elbow.

"You're not allowed out there alone, it's too dangerous." Gale says and I roll my eyes at how completely protective Gale is. It was the one trait I do adore about him though, because it's nice to know how much someone cares about you.

As we round the corner into Town there's this sudden burst of spirit in the air. Music plays loudly through the crowd; a fiddler, a flute, a guitar being strum along as well. There are even people clapping to the music, the sounds of dancing against the cobblestoned town square. It's all very festive and I realize that this is the first uplifting thing I've witnessed in District Twelve. The people here have all come together, the people of Town are actually talking, some even dancing, with the people of the Seam and I realize that this is the one time that Capitol can't control us, that they can't keep us separated with hate for another. Here at this festival we're all equal, even if it's just for this one day, because we can all come together on the common of wanting to protect and keep our families alive.

The sweet chaos happening in the town square reminds me of the fish markets that would happen once a month back at home. The fishermen would all gather the good fish that they still had and the Capitol didn't want and make trades or sell to people who weren't as fortunate as us. I enjoyed the fish markets not only because the District came together as one, but because it made people happy. A lot like how the Autumn Festival seemed to make people happy here.

Gale pulls me from station to station, giving people his word that he'll have some fresh meat for them for winter if they'll provide us with bread, greens, firewood, medicine, and miscellaneous items that might be needed. The people in Town that Gale is mostly making trades with take his word without a second thought, they believe that he'll bring them fresh meat at least once a meat and he trusts that they'll always have something to trade or pay him with.

"I guess Hawthorne is a pretty important name here in District Twelve." I say to Gale as I lean against a store window. It's a florist who has a large display of flowers outside, he's starting to just give them to women for free, putting a smile on every girl, young or old, who receives them.

"It's dangerous too." Gale says to me with a wink.

The Harvest Festival continues to grow as the day goes on. As the day turns from late evening to early night I find myself sweating in the many layers of clothes that I dressed in. Gale, who's usually a very serious person, actually allows himself to have fun for once and takes me out into the area of the town square that has turned into a large dance floor. It takes a while to learn the many dance steps but after a while and a lot of drinks, I find myself finally able to keep up.

"Who would have thought that Norah is a drinker!" Thom roars when I take another shot of whatever Gale keeps bringing back. My husband slips his arm around my waist to keep me steady and I hiccup, trying to focus on Thom who's making his way over to me.

"I'm just having fun Thom!" I yell back and Thom lets out a hearty laugh, "Where's your wife, shouldn't you be with her?"

"She's at home with the baby. I wanted to make a few trades here for us but decided to check out the action that's happening here and I'm glad I did." Thom says shaking his head at me as I sway back and forth even with Gale's arm tucked around me. "I guess your wife can let loose huh Hawthorne. What did you tell her to get her to drink that much?"

I'm usually not a drinker but watching everyone seem to let loose a little with the alcohol made me take the first couple drinks that Gale brought back. The alcohol has helped me forget about the burden that has been in the back of my mind since Bristel had her daughter. Gale and I were running out of time and maybe being drunk will help me be more comfortable actually going to bed with Gale. I know that this isn't the best way to handle the situation and even though I'm scared of allowing Gale to have me that way, I'm scared of the Capitol more.

Since I'm so drunk, I will let my husband take me tonight because I know I won't really remember it the next day. Hopefully it will save me time to become more comfortable with the idea, but for now being drunk is the only way I seem to be able to get out of it.

The Festival will be dying down soon, we still have a District curfew to follow and even in this state I can tell that the Peacekeepers are becoming tense. The music slows down from a fast jive to a slow waltz that I recognize from District Four. The slow music reminds me of the calm nights after a storm, how tranquil everything is and how safe you feel even after all the damage that's been done. I lean against Gale and he looks down at me, pressing a soft kiss to my lips as the music envelops us like the soft crashing of waves.

I don't even know what happens to Thom because the next thing I realize is that Gale and I are heading home. The streets of the Seam are filled with people, mostly drunk couples who are talking loudly. I smile, looking up at Gale and shriek with laughter when he scoops me up, carrying me over the threshold of our house and carrying me into our bedroom. I keep a hold on him and start to kiss him, which he returns eagerly.

Gale hovers over me and I start to work at the buttons on his shirt clumsily because even though I'm drunk I still want to get this over with as quickly as possible. Gale keeps kissing me, his hands slipping up my shirt and tracing circles into my bare skin. When my hands slip to the waistband of his jeans, Gale stops kissing me abruptly. He pushes my hands away and climbs off the bed, running a hand through his hair as I sit up on the bed confused.

"Gale." I say, hurt by the fact that he stopped and he looks at me, puffing air out of his lungs.

"I'm not doing this with you when you're like this." Gale says and I stare at him, "I can't because you'll regret it tomorrow."

"But I want to, I'm ready." I say pathetically and I know he doesn't believe me, even I don't believe as my voice rings out through the darkness of our bedroom.

"You're not ready Norah, you're only doing this because you think it's going to be easier since your drunk, but it's only going to make it worse. I don't want you to regret any part of us." Gale says evenly and I feel hurt, embarrassed, almost ashamed because this isn't me. I'm not supposed to act like this.

"You don't sleep with me." I say and my voice cracks, making my hurt so much more noticeable in the darkness, "You're my husband, you're supposed to want to."

"Norah, I never said I didn't want to. I just don't want to when you're like this, you have to be ready and you're not." He says again and I almost want to scream, to cry, to beg him because we're running out of time.

"But the Capitol. Most of the girls that we're contracted the same year as me have already had their first appointment with the official or signed the paperwork saying that their waiting for their first-born and we're not going to be ready Gale. We're not going to be on time." I say in a panic, I start to take deep rapid breaths and Gale hurries over to me, sitting in front of me on the bed.

"The Capitol isn't going to touch us. We have a solid month before we won't make the deadline, but I promise that we will make the deadline. I won't let them hurt you, me, or my family. I promise we will make the deadline." Gale says and I calm down a little bit, my stomach churning from the sudden change of feelings.

"You don't make promises you can't keep right?" I ask and Gale nods his head to me, pressing a kiss to my forhead.

"I always keep my promises." Gale says, pulling me in close to him.

I start to say something else but end up getting up instead, running towards the bathroom because I'm going to be sick. Gale follows me and even though I beg him to leave me alone as I get sick in our small bathroom.

* * *

"Morning." Gale says to me when I finally crawl out of bed. My head is pounding and I have a horrible taste in my mouth.

"Why don't you look like hell?" I ask him because I know he had as much to drink as I did last night and he chuckles, putting a cup of tea down in front of me.

"I'm not a light weight like you are." Gale says with a smirk and I make a face at him, "The funny thing is that I watered down your shots last night too."

"That's not funny." I say and he shrugs his shoulders.

"It kind of is." Gale says and I glare at him, shaking my head that he's still managing to tease me. I'm just glad he's teasing me about how I handle my liquor instead of how practically begged him to sleep with me last night. "I'm actually glad you're up because I wanted to talk to you."

"About what?" I ask, reaching for a piece of toast that Gale put on the table between us.

"Um, work." He says and I lift my brows up high, giving him my full attention. "I've been feeling better and I'm planning on returning on Wednesday, so since I'll be working I was thinking that you can quit your job at the bakery."

"No." I say and Gale sighs, leaning forward and rubbing his temple like I've given him a headache, "You said that the mines usually shut down during the winter, which means you won't be working again and we'll need more money. So no, I won't quit."

"You said you would after I went back to work." Gale counters and I shake my head, the motion causing my headache to worsen.

"I know what I said, but I'm not going to quit. Ask me again about it after I've been pregnant." I say and Gale sucks in a deep breath.

"You're so stubborn." Gale says, getting up from the table, "And I'm not going to ask you to quit your job at the bakery again because even if you don't want to after you have our first born you're going to have to quit working there. There's a law or something about how many hours a wife is supposed to work when there are children in the house, remember."

"Can we not talk about this right now?" I ask him, before resting my head on the cool table, trying to rid my headache, "I don't feel well."

"Maybe you should take that into consideration next time you attempt to seduce me." Gale says and I throw my napkin at him. He chuckles, walking over to me and pressing a kiss to the top of my head, "Take it easy today, huh?"

"Yeah, sure." I say and Gale smiles at me, walking towards the fire place to warm up, "Gale." I say and he turns to face me, he lifts one of his brows up in curiosity, "Thank you for last night. You were right and I don't want to regret any part of us either."

Gale smiles at me and I return it because he really does care about me. He cares about how our relationship grows and I know he wants me to be happy, but it was becoming difficult with this problem looming over our heads. I didn't understand why I couldn't just be ready like the rest of the women who were contracted the same time I was, perhaps I'm not the perfect Capitol wife I want to be.

* * *

Let me know what you think!


	21. Chapter 21

"Gale I just beat that rug!" I say when he steps inside of the house with his dirty work boots. They're covered in coal dust and slush from the snow that fell last night but didn't stick to the ground. I collapse into my chair at the dining room and cover my face with my hands.

Gale chuckles and I hear the distinct sound of his boots hitting the hardwood floor as he kicks them off and then his pickaxe being placed in its spot next to the couch. He walks quietly over to me and I try to count his footsteps, he was great at sneaking up on me, something that he's been doing often. I'll be washing dishes, doing laundry, or scrubbing the floors in the bathroom and as long as my back is turned he'll just walk up and surprise me by wrapping his arms gently around my waist or placing his hands on my shoulders.

I lift my head up before he can surprise me but I still jump because he's hovering over me, a concerned look in his eyes. "Hard day at work?" He asks and I nod my head, yawning and then groaning a little bit when he gives my shoulders a squeeze.

"Yes." I say and Gale sits next to me, taking my hand into his even though it still has traces of soot on it I don't mind.

"Wait," Gale says as he looks at the clock and then back at me, "Norah why aren't you at the bakery?"

"Mrs. Mellark told me that she wouldn't need me for the winter because work is slow and that I should be worrying about other things anyways." I say and Gale rests his head dramatically onto the table, much like I had when he walked into the house with his messy boots. "I can come back in the spring if I need to though." I add but he doesn't respond.

I break apart our hands and instead run my fingers gently through his hair, it's soft but underneath I can feel the scars from when he was jumped. They're sickening but I can find every single one, they're etched into my brain forever and I don't know if that's a good thing or not. I like to trace them though and Gale allows me to, he trusts me.

"Gale we need to-" I begin to say but Gale just sighs, sitting up straighter and then looks at me, cutting me off with a cold glance.

"Do not start this with me again. I know we need to take this seriously. I know that the month is going to be up soon. You don't need to keep reminding me."

"I obviously do Gale because we're not doing anything about it." I say and Gale gets up from his chair, walking to the kitchen counter where I laid out leftovers.

He piles food onto a plate and I watch him timidly, his back muscles are tensed giving me the sign that he's angry and I shouldn't keep pressing the subject, but I'm more scared of the Capitol than I am of Gale.

"Do you just not want to have sex with me?" I ask after a few minutes of silence. My voice is quiet and shaky, because I'm scared of the answer. "Am I still just the girl you had to marry?"

"Norah." Gale says and I almost look down at my shoes but I stand strong, facing him and waiting for the answer. "Why do you still think that?" He asks and I bite my lip, my eyes meeting his as he crosses the kitchen towards me.

"How can I not Gale? I know you care about me but I don't think you love me or maybe you do love me but it's just as a friend or even a sister I don't know but I don't think you love me, not like you did or do Katniss." I say and Gale's brows crinkle at my words. He doesn't say anything so instead I just try to slip past him, I'm successful and I start to walk away from him, deciding just to go to bed. I'm not that hungry anyways, but Gale moves quickly and wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me back towards him.

"Gale, come on." I say but he presses me up against the wall, his arms on either side of me so that I can't walk away from him again. "Gale just please let me go."

"No." Gale says lightly and I bite my lip, "Listen to me, if I had the choice of choosing who I got to marry, I hope that I would still get the choice of marrying you. I love you Norah and I know I don't show that at all but I do. I just want to make sure that you're comfortable and that everything plays out the way it should and the moment is perfect for you."

"Gale you can't make everything perfect. I know you want to, that you want to ensure that the people you care about are taken care of but you are trying too hard with this. I don't want it to be this huge perfect moment; I just want to share this with you, here in our home. You don't have to worry about me so much, I'm happy here with you."

Gale stays quiet for a few moments. The silence between us is comforting in a way, we aren't pressured to say anything because we've finally layed it all on the table for each other. He loves me and I admitted that I'm happy, even if my words didn't ring as much truth as his do. "Do you realize that this is the first time you've ever called this place home?" Gale says and I laugh, nodding my head. "And said that you're happy here."

"I love you." I reply ibstantly trying to change the subject, just in case i slip and he realizes that I'm not really happy. Gale smiles, showing his teeth a tiny bit before he rests his head against my shoulder, his body is radiating with heat and I feel my stomach explode with butterflies. I wrap my arms around his neck and he slowly begins to press a trail of kisses against my collarbone. I sigh and close my eyes as Gale's kisses make their way up to my lips.

I didn't lie when I told Gale I loved but I did lie a bit when I said I was happy. I don't think I'll ever be fully happy here but as long as Gale believes I am, at least I'll feel safer. The Capitol will be off our backs soon enough.

Gale lifts me up, continuing the kiss as he carries me into our bedroom, closing the door behind him with his foot. I'm more nervous than I want to be but this has to happen if Gale and I want to make the deadline. I relax myself as best as I can as Gale lays me gently on the bed, the kissing becoming more heated as he unbuttons my blouse.

I shut my eyes and bite my lip as I let my husband take me, forcing the guilt of the little white lie out of my mind.

* * *

"So you lied?" Bristle says after I tell her what happened between Gale and me. I don't give any details about our night, because it's private to me. I did enjoy it, the tender kisses, how gentle Gale is regardless of the fact that he's a coal miner and hunter and that he probably shouldn't be that incredibly gentle, but he is. Gale treated me like I was a fine fragile piece of glass. I felt safe with him and comfortable and I did indeed love him, but I'm still not as happy as I should be.

"I did but only because I wanted him to sleep with me." I say and Bristle laughs. She tries to keep her laughs quiet so that she doesn't wake her daughter whose sleeping in a cradle in the living room but Bristle can't contain it. I smile because I realize that I could have worded that sentence better, "Oh, you- you know what I meant." I say and Bristle nods her head, smiling at me.

"Norah, you did what you had to do. I would have done the same thing with Thom alright; you want to make this deadline. You don't want the same thing to happen to you that happened to me and Thom, we didn't make the deadline and the Capitol just kept checking up on us. They would show up and question us and run tests to see if there was something actually wrong with us, they would shoot me with fertility shots and did everything absolutely possible to get me pregnant. And now they're running all these tests on Tula, ensuring that she's our baby. Like I would lie about my pregnancy, lie about my daughter." Bristle says through clenched teeth and before I can ask her why they didn't make the deadline, she adds, "I just didn't want to sleep with him. I was hoping that the Capitol would realize they made a mistake with matching us or that they would think something was indeed wrong with me and maybe I would be sent home."

"Oh, Bristle." I say but she holds her hand up.

"I obviously wasn't very smart." Bristle says with a pitying laugh for her actions, "I was doing my best not to fall in love with Thom, but he still slipped into my heart somehow and now I never want to lose him and I feel like such an idiot for putting him through that. I didn't protect him and he did so much to make sure I was safe."

"Bristle, Thom loves you so much. You shouldn't feel guilty because you guys are fine now, you have a lot of time to make up for this. You two have a lot of years with each other." I say and Bristle smiles at me.

"I know we do." She says before standing up and checking on the tightly swaddled baby in the cradle. Bristle brushes her hand gently against her daughters forehead and she beams proudly watching the tiny baby sleep.

"I really love Gale, you know that right?" I ask and Bristle looks up at me.

"Of course Norah, you'd have to be blind to not see it." She says and I feel my cheeks heat in a blush.

"I didn't want to lie to him. It just, the Capitol makes me nervous and I just wanted to keep us safe. He's always so wrapped up in keeping everyone he cares about safe and I wanted to protect him this time instead." I say and Bristel sits back down in front of me, a smile still on her face.

"You don't have to explain this to me. We would all do absolutely anything to keep those we love safe."

Which is very true. Anyone would do anything to make sure the people we love are protected. I would and will protect each of the Hawthorne's like I would my family back in District Four, even the two Everdeen girls. I know that Gale feels that it's his job to do it but I can't give him the entire burden of worrying about all of us. If I can make anything easier for our life in the Seam, I will. I just can't let him know about it because I know how he is with a bruised ego.

"So what's it like being a mom?" I ask when my eyes land on the cradle again.

"It's tiring and a lot of work but I love it. She's so perfect, Norah." Bristle says, her finger is running lightly over the rim of her mug that I assume now has cold tea inside of it. She looks upset and I don't know why, she was in such a good mood a moment ago.

"What's wrong?" I question and she sighs, running a hand through her thick brown hair.

"How am I supposed to have three more children and fall in love with all of them like this? How am I supposed to wake up every day for the next eighteen years and know that three of my babies are going to be taken away from me?" Bristle sighs and rests her head into her hands, "How am I supposed to pick one of my children to stay here with me? It's like telling the other three that I love this one more than them."

"They're not going to think that." I say and Bristle lets out a small sob, "They're not, they're going to understand why, they will. They'll know how much you and Thom love them."

"Oh come on Norah, you're telling me you never thought that? That you're parents favored one of your siblings and that's why you're here and that one sibling is there." Bristle asks harshly and I shake my head.

"I never thought that. See in my family there's three girls and one boy and I guess I just always knew my parents would keep my brother there. I know they loved me but I just accepted it like my two sisters, we knew our home wouldn't be our home for very long." I tell her and Bristle sighs, meeting my eyes.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get rude but I just I know that the reason I'm here is because I was never the favorite for long. See I have three sisters, two older ones and a younger half-sister. My mom died when I was really small and I always just considered my step-mother, Tula, my real mom. When my dad and Tula had the fourth child in the family, I was seven and the way my step-mother looked at her I just knew that I was gone. They favorited her, she got everything for being the youngest and for being the only child of my step-mom. I knew she loved me too but not the way she loved my sister and I've always resented her for that." Bristle says and I look down at my teacup, not knowing how to respond, "I just don't want my children to resent me the same way I resent her for it."

"But you still love her Bristle. You named your daughter after her, sure you're upset over the fact that she sent you and your two older sisters away but she's your mother and you love her and if she had the choice I bet all of you would still be at home with her. You can't deny it and your children will still love you the same way you love her. They would never hate you for something that's out of your control." I say and Bristle smiles sadly at me.

"I guess, but I'm just scared that they might turn out like my older sister Joanna. She was so bitter as a teenager and angry at my parents for everything that happened, that she didn't even want us at the train station to say goodbye." Bristle says and I reach across the table to take her hand, squeezing it gently.

"She had a reason to be bitter, she remembered her real mother. Your kids won't have a reason to be bitter like that." I say firmly and Bristle looks ghostly over at her daughter.

"Hopefully not." Bristle says before smiling halfheartedly at me and sipping on her tea.

* * *

I decide to cook a fresh dinner for Gale, since the leftovers are starting to get old anyways. While I'm putting some fresh vegetables into a stew there's a soft knocking on the front door. I sigh and stand up, walking away from the warm fire that is heating the entire front of the house.

"Oh, hello Primrose." I say when I find her standing on the porch, there's a small amount of tears in her eyes, "Come inside, before you catch a cold." I say pulling her by the collar of her coat inside the house and sitting her down at the dining table.

"Do you want some tea?" I ask and she nods her head sniffling and wiping the tears from her eyes. "What's the matter Primrose?" I ask as I set the hot mint tea in front of us.

"M-my mom and Hay-Haymitch are fighting. He's really drunk and Katniss isn't home, she stayed late at school for extra help before her te-test." Prim manages to choke out and I move into the seat next to her. I wrap my arm around her and she lets out another sob, "Haymitch is terrifying when he's drunk and I didn't want to st-stay there anymore."

"It's ok." I say, rubbing her back in slow circles, "You can stay here until Gale comes home and then I'll send him back out to fetch Katniss and check on your mother ok."

She takes a deep quivering breath and calms down a bit to drink some of her tea, "I was going to go find Katniss but it's really dark out from the incoming storm and mom always tells me to never go far when it's dark and your house was the closest."

"Primrose, it's fine. You're welcome here anytime you want." I say and she nods her head, "Do you want to help me bake some bread?" I ask and she nods, getting up the table and joining me in the kitchen.

There's not a doubt in my mind that Primrose will be the perfect wife. At eleven she already knows how to bake, cook, and is telling me about how she was able to sew her own doll. She's quite amazing and very modest about herself. She's so goodhearted and clever. I like spending this time with her, I've never had the chance to talk with her one on one with her like this.

The front door swings open and the first thing I say to Gale is, "Shoes." He chuckles and Prim smiles halfheartedly, looking over her shoulder to watch Gale take his dirty work boots off.

He walks over to me and presses a kiss to my cheek before reaching over and grabbing a few carrots that I didn't put into the stew. "Hey Prim, where's your sister?"

"At the school." Prim answers before looking at me pleadingly to ask Gale to go check on her mother.

"Gale could you do Primrose a favor and go tell Katniss that she's here and then check Mrs. Everdeen? Haymitch and Mrs. Everdeen were fighting and Primrose decided to come here since her sister wasn't around." I say and Gale nods his head, before winking at Prim.

"Of course I can. You two eat, ok. I'll be back soon." He says before pressing a light kiss to my cheek again and heading back out.

"Do you think my mom's ok? Haymitch has never hurt her but it still worries me." Prim says, she's starting to get choked up again and I put my arm around her, leading her back to the dining table.

I start to fix her a bowl of stew and say, "I'm sure your mom's fine. I don't know Haymitch but he doesn't seem like the kind of man to hurt a woman, let alone his wife." I say and Primrose nods her head. She begins to eat her stew and I smile at her.

"You know Haymitch isn't my real dad, right?" She asks and I nod my head, sipping on the stew that I poured for myself. "My dad died in a mining accident, the same one Mr. Hawthorne died in. About a week or so before that, Haymitch's wife died of the measles, it was one of the first outbreaks that hit the District. It wasn't as bad as the one that hit a few years back but a few people died from it. Haymitch took to drinking after that and when my mom was forced to remarry him she became the primary caretaker for us and my step-brothers. He thinks my mom turned his sons against him and that's why they both wanted to leave District Twelve. Haymitch always figured that one of his sons would stay here with him but they really just wanted to get away from him. They hated the way he treated my mother and how much he drank. That's why he's so angry at my mom all the time because he figures it's her fault that they're gone."

"Oh," I say because I don't know what else to say to her, "I don't think he really wants to hurt your mom though. He's just a sad person and when people are sad like that they don't know how to help themselves feel better so they try to make the people around them miserable as well." I say and Prim shrugs her tiny shoulders.

"I don't want to talk about it anymore." She says and I nod me head, "Can you tell me what District Four is like? I've always wanted to see the ocean."

As I tell Prim about the life I left behind in District Four she helps me clean up the kitchen. She asks me questions about my sisters and Finnick and asks what it's like to leave them. I tell her the half-truth because I don't want her to know how absolutely heartbreaking it is to lose the people your closest to. Katniss would be leaving her in a year and a half. Thinking about Katniss leaving Prim makes me think about me leaving Persi and how absolutely heartbroken my little sister was.

When Gale and Katniss finally walk back into the house it's almost District curfew. I sigh in relief when I see him worried that the two wouldn't make it back here in time. I stare at him quizzically because he has an old dirty knitted cap, that I've seen before, pulled over his eyebrows but he smiles crookedly at me still and winks.

"How's mom?" Primrose asks right away and Katniss smiles.

"She's fine Prim." Katniss says before pulling her into a hug.

"Are you hungry Katniss?" I ask, forgetting about Gale for the moment, and she nods her head. I point to the pot of stew and she smiles at me.

"Thanks Norah." She says before grabbing a bowl off the counter.

I nod my head and go to turn towards Gale but he's no longer in the room. I walk down the hall to the bathroom where the sink water is running, I knock twice and call his name. Gale opens the door quickly and pulls me inside. His face is bleeding from a cut above his eyebrow and I gasp.

"What happened?" I ask, pushing Gale to sit down on the toilet so that I can clean his new cut.

"Haymitch cut me." Gale says and I give him a look waiting for him to continue the story as I press a wet cloth to his eyebrow. "It was an accident, he was asleep on the porch and I forgot he likes to sleep with a knife. He took a good swipe and luckily only hit my eyebrow."

"Luckily." I say in an annoyed voice and Gale smiles at me. "I hope you don't get an infection." I say as I wipe the cut, which is more like a gash about his eyebrow again a few inches lower and Gale would probably be blind in his right eye.

"I'm fine Norah." He says before pulling me down to kiss me. "I think they're going to stay on the couch since we'll be out after curfew if I walk them back now."

"That's too bad." I say before kissing him again and Gale groans trying to keep me close to him. His hand slips down to my waist and I smile.

"Gale we have guests." I say as I break the kiss.

"Never mind I can walk them home." Gale says getting up and I laugh kissing his cheek.

"No, I'll make up the couch for them." I say as I lean against the bathroom door before leaving, "Besides, we have all day tomorrow. It's Sunday." I say before lifting my eyebrows at him making him chuckle.

"I look forward to it."

* * *

This chapter wasn't beta'd yet. I got impatient waiting and just decided to post it. I'll re-post the chapter when it's all fixed up.

Let me know what you guys think!


	22. Chapter 22

"Norah," a soft voice calls to me. It's warm and steady, pulling me out of my deep slumber. "Norah, wake up." I recognize the soft voice to be Gale and I find my eyes fluttering open to meet my husband's.

He's kneeling next to the bed, dressed warm in his winter clothes. His hunting bag is slung over his shoulder and I sigh, I wanted him to myself this Sunday. "Are you leaving?" I ask him drowsily and he smiles, pushing my messy hair away from my forehead.

"Come on, I want to show you something." He says ignoring my question and I take a deep breath, scooting closer into the warm blankets and shaking my head.

"Not a chance. It's too warm in bed." I say and Gale's smile turns into a smirk.

"You're gonna love it, I promise." Gale says as he pulls the covers off me. I squeal in surprise and he laughs, he has a strong grip on the blankets so I can't pull them back. I try to loosen his grip but he instead moves to grab me, he presses his fingers into my soft sides and I can't contain my laughter.

"Gale, stop." I gasp out between laughs but he continues to tickle my sides. Any chance of me falling back to sleep now is long gone, "Ok, I'll go with you!" I yell and he stops instantly. Gale grins triumphantly and then presses a long, lingering kiss to my lips.

"Hurry up," he whispers once his lips break apart from mine, "and dress warm."

I stumble around in the dimly lit room as I put on my warm layers, a long-sleeved cotton white shirt from my days of working at the docks, worn out long-johns that used to be Hazelle's to wear underneath my jeans, and a pair of wool socks. I decide to put on one of Gale's old knitted sweaters as well, not because it's warm but because I like how soft and comfortable it is.

Gale's waiting in the kitchen for me. He's packing something away in his hunting bag and zips it shut when I approach. "What's that?" I question and he gives me this quizzical look. I motion towards the hunting bag as I grab his mug of tea off the table to take a sip.

"Oh, nothing. I was just packing away some extra food, we have a long hike today." Gale says and I choke on the tea as it passes my throat.

"What do you mean 'we'?" I ask and Gale smiles at me, "Gale I don't want to go hiking in the cold, in the woods." I say and Gale chuckles, "You're the one that always telling me that it's dangerous."

"No I say it's dangerous if you're by yourself, but you won't be you'll be with me." Gale says and I sigh, trying to think of another excuse on the spot. I glance at the living room where I find Katniss sitting on the couch with a cup of tea in her hand.

"It's Sunday, you're supposed to go hunting with Katniss anyways." I say turning towards the brunette and giving her a pleading look to take my side. Primrose is still sound asleep on the couch. Her small blonde head resting against the armrest and her bare feet are tucked into Katniss's lap to stay warm.

"I promised Prim I would spend the day with her." Katniss answers before sipping slowly on her tea, "Besides, it's about time Gale took you into the woods."

"Thank you Katniss." I say sarcastically and a smile plays on her lips, shrugging her shoulders at me. I should had known better anyways, best friends always stick together.

"Come on Norah." Gale says, he steps up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist, "Just you and me. It'll be fun."

"Fine." I say and he kisses my cheek before pulling me out the door, "Feel free to help yourself in the kitchen." I call back to Katniss who gives us a lighthearted wave as we walk out the door.

The first thing I notice upon stepping outside is the pure white snow that litters the ground of the district instead of dirt and coal dust. I smile and then look at Gale who isn't as mesmerized by the snow as I am, he's just watching me. "It won't stay like this for long, pretty soon the coal will mix with the snow and it'll become grey and dingy like the rest of the District."

"It's beautiful." I say as I reach down to scoop some up. The cold bites through my gloves and I shake it away from me quickly. Gale chuckles and helps me back onto my feet. I link my arm with his and follow him to the outskirts of the District and then over the fence

* * *

"You ok?" Gale asks turning around once more to make sure that I can keep up with him. I puff out a breath and watch the heat billow out of my mouth like smoke.

"I'm not a hiker." I say and Gale smiles, walking quickly back towards me to help me up the path.

"I know." He says with a chuckle before he wraps his arms around me and presses a kiss to my temple. "But we're almost there."

"Where are we going anyways?" I ask, stumbling a bit on a tree root that's hidden beneath the snow. Gale keeps me steady though and I smile up at him, comforted by the fact that Gale is right there for me.

"It's a surprise." Gale says and I sigh, his hand grips my hip and he says, "Don't tell me you hate surprises."

"I don't." I say and Gale looks at me curiously, "When I'm in on the surprise." I add and Gale chuckles.

"Well, we're almost there." He says and I nod, pulling my knitted cap back over my ears. I didn't think that District Twelve could get any colder but yet here was the snow. It's beautiful, but I hate it. I hate the cold and the fact that the snow made you wet and cold is just hell for me.

I push myself closer into Gale's side to steal some of his warmth. "How long have you been coming out here?" I ask curiously because we never talk about Gale's childhood.

"Since I was fourteen." Gale says with a slight change of tone in his voice. I know he doesn't like to talk about anything related to his father or what happened after his father's death but I couldn't help to be curious.

"Oh, did your father teach to hunt?" I ask and Gale bites his lip before answering. Hazelle has told me multiple times how much Gale looks like his father, but that they don't act the same. Since losing his father Gale has become more serious while his father supposedly was the opposite. I try to imagine an older Gale that smiles constantly but the image is just too foreign and strange to form in my mind.

"He taught me how to set up snares but I didn't actually start hunting with the bow until Katniss taught me." Gale says with a small smile, "It took us a long time to trust each other. All we would do was haggle over goods in the beginning."

"It's good you two had each other." I say, as I think of a fourteen year old Gale and an eleven year old Katniss hunting in the woods. It was no wonder that their friendship was so strong, they've been through alot together.

"What does the fence in District Four keep you out of?" Gale asks after a few moments of comfortable silence. I had been getting used to the sound of the forest around us and had stopped jumping at every snap of a twig.

"Um, the ocean. The boats can only go so far out until they hit netting that stops the boats but the fish can still slip through for the fishermen to catch." I say and looking up at Gale.

"Do people go over the fence there?" He asks and I shake my head quickly. It was a suicide attempt to try that, the Peacekeepers would gun you down in a second.

"We never had a good reason to go over the fence back in District Four, we didn't have to. In District Four people always have work, we have money to always buy necessities and still have money left over to buy things we don't really need, children are never hungry, and most people don't die from disease." I say and Gale grunts.

"I bet it's a big shock for you here." Gale says bitterly and I nod my head knowing that I have upset him a little. He's had to worry about all of that for years while I was still getting used to it.

"It is, but it's a lot stricter in District Four." I say and Gale looks back at me, "The Peacekeepers went out hunting for people. If you spoke out of turn, didn't do as they said, openly broke a rule, or made a scene you were killed publicly." I say and Gale's brows furrow together. "Treasonous citizens were made examples of, but that never stopped my father and brother. They spoke as freely as they could and were part of the small rebel band in our District."

"It's no wonder you're such a stickler for the rules with those Peacekeepers, but didn't your father and your brother rub off on you at all. Isn't there a part of you that just wants to beat the Capitol at their own game?" Gale asks and I can see the same passionate rebel that burns inside of him that burns inside of my brother and father. If District Twelve was big enough, healthy enough, to even have a rebel group, there's not a doubt in my mind that Gale would be a part of it. My father and brother would welcome him into the family with open arms because of this trait alone.

"This isn't exactly an equal playing field. The Capitol will always win Gale, they have the power here and people should always be afraid of power." I say evenly and Gale shakes his head before starting to walk again, this time without me protectively tucked underneath his arm.

I follow behind him for the next mile or two. My eyes trail him carefully and I decide that we couldn't be more different. He's tall, with dark features that make him intimidating. I'm smaller, with brighter features that most people would think sweet, easily approachable. Gale is bitter about everything, doesn't trust just anyone, while I let people help if I need it. Gale comes from a broken family that never had much. He was given the responsibility of taking care of them at a young age, while I only had to worry about school, work, and chores. He hated everything the Capitol stood for and only followed the rules because if he didn't who knows what would happen to the people he loved. I followed the rules because I'm scared of the Capitol and would rather live safely in fear.

We're like oil and water, light and dark, day and night. Everything about us the complete opposite, far too different to ever work out, and yet here we were; Gale and Norah, our opposites somehow working in harmony (most of the time). The thought of this brings a small smile to my face and I can't help but take a few quick steps to catch up with him and take his hand into mine. We weren't going to see eye to eye on everything and I could live with that because I need him to help me be brave and he needs me to help him stay in line.

"I love you." I whisper so quietly that I'm almost sure he can't hear me over the forest sounds, but his hand squeezes mine reassuringly, letting me know that he had in fact heard me, but he doesn't say anything in reply.

The rest of our trip is in silence. I don't ask him anymore questions about his life before. I just walk and enjoy the scenery of the forest because god knows when Gale is going to be able to talk me back out here again, especially when it's snowing.

* * *

Gale lays out a few things in front of a fire he started in a crumbling foundation which I assume used to be someone's home. I pull the blanket he brought for me back over my shoulders so that the heat doesn't escape my body. I don't think I've ever realized how much I hate the actual cold because I've never been actually cold. The cold in District Four doesn't reach your bones like the cold here does.

"What is all of this?" I ask Gale as he hands me a piece of dried fruit. I nibble on it and scoot closer to him when he finally takes a seat next to me.

"I wanted to make our marriage more official." Gale says and I give him a look, swiping another piece of dried fruit from his hands.

"Our marriage is official, I have the marriage certificate to prove it." I say and Gale chuckles, it's a deeper chuckle, one that comes up as a rumble from his chest.

"Yes, but I wanted to make it more District Twelve official." Gale says before grabbing a small wooden box that's sitting next to a perfect golden loaf of bread. "See, back before the Dark Days, people who resided in District Twelve would be considered married by what's called a toasting. It's banned in District Twelve now because the Capitol believes people will try to secretly marry people that they aren't contracted too, but a few people still partake in it when they feel like they're with the right person."

"You want to do the toasting with me?" I ask and Gale smiles.

"Actually I was just asking your permission to see if I could do the toasting with Katniss." He says and I slug his shoulder. He pretends to wince in pain and I smile, "No, I did bring you out here to ask if you would partake in the toasting with me."

I bite my lip, looking down in embarrassment because I wasn't expecting any of this. When I look back up towards Gale he has a content smile on his face as he waits for my answer, "I would love to." I finally say and his smile grows, revealing to me his perfect set of teeth.

"Well, um- before we start I want to give you this." He says as he pops the lid on the small wooden box to reveal a silver ring with a perfect white pearl. "Leevy told me that in District Four a lot of the wives were given rings by their husbands to wear with the Capitol issued bands." That was true, most women in District Four were given rings from their husbands, and it made their relationship seem more intimate. My mother and Annie both wore rings that had single diamonds on the bands, very simple but it should that their husbands actually loved them.

"Gale, this ring must have cost you a fortune, think of all the supplies we could have bought with it." I say and he rolls his eyes, slipping the ring onto my finger anyways.

"I got the base of the ring at the Hob. It was empty so someone probably pawned the diamond or whatever was in it. I got the pearl out of one of the broken earrings that you keep in the envelope in your photo album. I thought you would want to wear a little bit of your home District on you." Gale says and I bite my lip hard, tears welling in my eyes. "The jeweler put the pearl in, even shined the ring to make it look new. I just have to bring him fish as a trade, it's his favorite."

"Gale it's really beautiful." I say, looking at the silver ring that puts the Capitol issued one to shame. I had forgotten about those old broken pair of pearl earrings Annie had given me. This ring gave me a little piece of both of my homes. I kiss his cheek, sniffling back some of my quiet sobs and he smiles, leaning his head against mine. "So what do we have to do for the toasting?" I ask trying to get the tears to not slip down my cheeks.

"Alright, so we each take one side of the bread, say a few things that we promise to the other, rip the bread apart toss our sides into the fire to toast, and then I'll pull your side out and eat it and you pull mine out and eat it." Gale say and I nod my head.

"Seems simple enough." I say as I take hold of the other side of the bread, "Who made this?" I ask because I've never seen a loaf of bread more perfect than this one.

"Peeta, Katniss picked it up from him this morning for us." Gale says and I smile, wondering how Peeta reacted to seeing Katniss. I wonder if he's the nervous type around the girl he likes, stumbling on his words or turning pink. Gale obviously wasn't that type; I don't think he's ever stumbled on a word in front of me because of nerves. "So, I guess I'll go first." Gale says and I chew on my lip waiting as he forms his words.

"I promise to keep you and our family safe, that I will always be here to take care of you and the children that are to come. I will never abandon you and our children will never be starving. I promise that I will do what I can to make you happy." Gale vows and I smile at him because I know he means every word. Gale doesn't make promises he can't keep, he told me that himself. "Mostly, I promise to take my work boots off every day I come home so you don't have to clean that rug as much."

I laugh and lick my lips, already knowing what I'm going to promise him. "I will not abandon you either. I will be brave and strong. I promise that our family will always come first." I pause and meet his grey eyes. The flames from the fire crackling beside casts a golden glow to his face and his eyes reflect the fire dancing. It reminds me of the burning passion I saw in his eyes earlier when he spoke of rebelling. He is like a wildfire that can't be contained and I realize that Gale could become a secret rebel like my father and brother. He could potentially put our family in danger for the idea that we could be free, the idea of that is terrifying but he is my husband and now is the time for us to face the world together regardless of decisions we make but don't agree on.

"I promise to stand by you in the life we will share together, no matter what." I say and meaning the words entirely.

The bread breaks apart and Gale and I toss our halves into the flames. The golden bread turns crispy before our eyes and I take a deep breath these were big promises to make to one another. Who knew what life had in store for the two of us, but I intend on keeping my promises to him. If I couldn't be the perfect Capitol wife I was taught to be, then I would be the perfect wife Gale Hawthorne needs me to be.

Gale hands me a stick to get his piece of the bread out of the flames so that I wouldn't burn myself and I grab I small wrapped piece of goat cheese he grabbed from our ice box back at home. We spread the cheese onto our warm toasted bread then consume the promises we made, making our toasting complete.

As the fire dies out, Gale leans back onto the quilt he laid out for us to sit on earlier since the ground of this abandon house is hard and cold without it. We are in complete silence, but I have never felt more comfortable with him, never felt more like his wife. It's a bold move for me but I slip off the blanket that I have on my shoulders and then unbutton the jacket I have on.

I crawl over to Gale, ready to give him me all over again but this time I am actually ready. This time it's more than me trying to make the deadline. I want Gale to know every inch of my soft skin. I want to be able to trace the contours of Gale's muscles and feel them contract against my body. I want to have all of Gale and want him to have all of me.

So in the small abandoned stone foundation, deep in the middle of Gale's woods, I let him have all of me all over again but this time, it's real.

* * *

Sorry if this chapter is set up weird. I uploaded it from my phone since I have no computer access at the moment.

Let me know what you think and a big thanks not my beta!


	23. Chapter 23

The paper gown clings to my skin from the nervous sweat that has broken out across my body. I fan myself with the palm of my hand until Gale finally is able to track down a piece of unwanted paper at the specialist's office that I can use as a fan. I flap the paper back and forth quickly, trying to stop the sweat that's beading on my forehead from slipping down my face. My nerves have definitely gotten the best of me but there was good reason. If my blood test didn't come back as positive then the Capitol would have to intervene with my pregnancy and we just couldn't have that. Gale would probably snap if the Capitol tried to control him more than they already do.

"What if I'm not pregnant?" I ask and Gale looks up from staring at the cold floor tiles. There are bags under his eyes causing him to look more tired than usual and I guess he would be. He and the rest of the miners have been working longer, going down earlier and staying down later to collect as much coal until they can before the mines shut down completely. According to Gale that shouldn't be too long, the trains are already delayed by two days.

"You've missed your period, it's been a week." Gale says but the nerves won't stop churning my stomach, making me feel like I'm going to be sick.

"Yeah but that could be because of stress of not becoming pregnant." I counter and Gale chuckles, rubbing his face and trying not to laugh at me. He's unsuccessful and I feel a bit betrayed and embarrassed that he's laughing at me to begin with.

I look away from him, crossing my arms over my chest and studying a diagram of how a fetus develops into a baby. "Come on Norah." Gale says when he realizes that I'm not smiling or finding any humor in the situation, "You just always have to find something to worry about."

"I have every right to." I say and Gale stands up, moving over to the examining table and then putting his hands on either side of me so that I have nowhere to look but at him.

"I know and I'm sorry for laughing." He says and I sigh, leaning my forehead against his chest. He smells like firewood and pine needles, a smell that I have grown accustomed to for the past few months.

"I hope it's a boy." Gale says after a few moments of silence between us. I pull away from him and lick my lips.

"I don't think we need another Hawthorne boy in District Twelve." I say and he chuckles, tucking a piece of my loose hair behind my ear.

"What's wrong with Hawthorne boys?" Gale asks and grin, playing with the collar of the paper gown that's rubbing against my neck.

"The fact that every Hawthorne boy is cocky and knows he's good looking is wrong with that." I tease and Gale chuckles, re-tucking the piece of hair that doesn't seem to want to stay in my braid.

"Can we both just agree that we hope our child has our hair?" He asks and I slap his hand away from me, shaking my head as I try to fight my smile from spreading.

"There's nothing wrong with my hair." I say and Gale shakes his head, pressing a kiss to my forehead just as the door opens with a creak.

The specialist walks into the exam room with a bright smile on her face. Her skin is powdery, her hair is an unnatural pale blue, and her eyes are just as strange as the specialist that worked with Bristle. She's a typical Capitol woman with the exaggerated looks and chirpy persona. Gale moves to the side of me and she pulls up her stool up in front of us. Her eyes study me for a moment and I lick my lips, reaching for Gale's hand that's already there to waiting to hold onto mine.

"Alright Norah, you checked out just fine. You're perfectly healthy, a little underweight but nothing that can't be fixed with a steady diet." The specialist says and I nod me head. The name tag on shirt reads Dr. Weston and I naturally look to her ring finger where I don't fine a giant wedding ring. She has to be in her late thirties, so I find it odd that she isn't married, but then again Capitol people are allowed to freely marry or not marry whoever and whenever they want.

"Now your blood work shows that you are indeed pregnant, which means that you just made the deadline." She says with a wide, perfect smile. I wonder if her teeth were fixed to be that white and that straight.

Gale squeezes my hand and I sigh in relief, a heavy weight being lifted off my shoulders. Dr. Weston begins to hand us a bunch of paperwork, telling us what needs to be filled out now so that our pregnancy is put on file for the Capitol and what paperwork can be filled out at a later time and turned into the Justice Building. I'm barely listening to her though, my mind focusing on the tiny human that is half me and half Gale growing inside of me.

"We're schedule an appointment in four months, make sure everything is developing properly." Dr. Weston says and I nod my head, "Now I do have one question for you."  
I perk up and she flips a few papers over on her clipboard before reading over something. "Um, it says here that an Odair had a couple miscarriages, due to stress and I just wanted to know if that Odair is blood related or not."

I cringe and look down. She was referring to Annie, she had at least three miscarriages which put Finnick and her far past the deadline for having their first child. I knew that they had the miscarriages but never realized how stressful that was probably for them. The Capitol was probably watching them, injecting Annie with whatever they could to ensure that she would have a single pregnancy. The Capitol doesn't like to make anyone disappear unless they have good reason and there was nothing wrong with Annie, she's fertile just gets stressed out too easily. I never even realized that they were having problems then, Finnick is just too good at hiding secrets, whether they be his own or yours.

"No, um- that was Annie. My brother's wife who had the miscarriages and it was from stress." I say defensively even though I don't mean to. I'm still protective over the family I left back in District Four, "There's nothing wrong with Annie."

"Of course not." Dr. Weston says as she scribbles something down on the clipboard. "I just wanted to make sure that we wouldn't be worrying about hitting any rough patches."

"Of course." I say and Gale squeezes my hand.

I am thankful for the specialist office and for the fact that the Capitol pays for all the expenses for the pregnant women in the District, but I can't help but feel as if this is one of the biggest slap in the face for District residents. The specialist building is a large two story building, the first floor being a clinic for the pregnant women of the District and the second floor for delivery of the District babies. If the clinic was used for health care of the District people, instead of just ensuring that we have smooth pregnancies, than we would probably have stronger Districts then the ones we have now. The Capitol though, just pays for the expenses of the equipment, medicine, and whatever else is used during appointments or deliveries. Once the baby is born it's up to the family to ensure that the baby is healthy and survives into adulthood. The Capitol can't take care of us forever, which is sad and terrifying if you're not one of the lucky few.

When the appointment is finally over and I'm free to change back into my everyday clothes I try to picture myself with a baby. When I thought about it I only pictured a small little girl with Gale's black hair olive toned skin but my curls and brown eyes. I love the idea of her already.

"What do you think of the name Mollie?" I ask Gale as we trudge slowly through the snow back to the Seam.

"That's not a boy's name." Gale says and I roll my eyes. He's so keen on the idea of a boy and I couldn't blame him. Our son would be one of the more handsome boys of the Seam, especially since Gale would teach him to hunt, giving him a better advantage to take care of his family no matter what District he lands in. I shake my head, pushing that thought away. My child wasn't even born yet and here I was already thinking about him or her leaving me.

"No, but I do like Oliver." I say and the corners of Gale's mouth turn up. He knows I read his favorite book and he seems to like the idea of us naming our future child after it.

"I kind of wanted to name him Benjamin, after my dad." Gale says and I squeeze his hand like the sound of Benjamin Hawthorne. It's a strong name. "And since there is a possibility of having a girl," Gale says almost painfully and I smile, "I like Rosie or Ava."

"I'm a fan of Ava, little Ava Hawthorne." I say and Gale looks down at me, he looks very content, the stress lines that are usually etched on his face not visible at the moment.  
We bounce names back and forth to one another as we walk to the Everdeen house where we've been invited over for dinner along with the rest of the Hawthorne clan. Gale and I can't agree on a single name, which means that this argument will probably play out for the next nine months until we actually have our child, and even then I'm sure Gale and I will put up a fight for our favorite names.

Before we walk inside of the Everdeen house, Gale pulls me aside. His hands rest on my hips and I look up at him, a stupid grin still plastered on my face. "I don't want to tell anyone just yet." He says and I tilt my head curiously.

"Why? They're going to know anyways. The deadline is up." I say and Gale tucks that one piece of hair behind my ear again. His warm hand rests behind my neck and I stare at him waiting for an answer.

"I just want it to be our baby for now." Gale finally says and I understand full well what he means. While our baby will always be a mix of Gale and a mix of me, it will never be fully ours. The baby will be claimed by the Capitol before we know it, eighteen years isn't a very long time to spend with someone.

"Ok." I say and he drops his head low so that our lips can meet, "We'll let everyone know when we're sure it's a girl." I say just before our lips meet and he chuckles into the kiss.

* * *

"Where's Katniss?" Gale asks as he looks up from his hand of crinkled playing cards that Rory brought from the house. His arm lies lazily over the back of my chair and occasionally he'll play with my braid or rub my shoulder.

Primrose barely glances up from her hand and I chuckle, watching the most intense game of Go Fish play out in front of me. "She's at the bakery." She says before pushing Vick away from her for trying to sneak a glance at her hand.

"Why?" Gale asks, "Do you have any threes?"

"Go fish," Primrose says and Gale sighs, drawing a card out of the pile. "She's making a trade with Peeta."

"She seems to be making a lot of trades there lately." I say knowingly as Vick hands Primrose a king, grumbling about how he always loses.

"Yeah, his dad's sick though so he gives us fresh bread and sweets for some of the chest balm for colds." Primrose says and I glance at Mrs. Everdeen who is putting some more balm into a few fresh jars.

"How many times has she gone down there?" I ask and Primrose shrugs her shoulders.

"Like three times this week, why?" Primrose questions and Gale looks at me curiously. I bite my lip trying to think of a quick excuse on the spot because I can't just tell everyone that Peeta adores Katniss.

"I was just wondering how sick Mr. Mellark is. He's a nice man." I say remembering how my old boss always had kind words or a fun story to tell Peeta and me while we cleaned up the bakery.

"He's fine." Mrs. Everdeen says as she puts the jars inside of a cabinet. She then takes a seat on the armrest of Haymitch's chair. He doesn't look up at her or say anything rude, he just lets her sit there and I wonder how drunk he is tonight. "It's just a little cold, nothing to be too worried about."

"I think there is something to be worried about." Haymitch says and my eyes fall on his. He could be a very attractive man if he took care of himself.

"What do you mean?" Mrs. Everdeen asks, the two of them are quite civil with each other at the moment, a husband and wife that tolerate each other for the sake of the guest and children in their presence. I would never guess how incredibly drunk and coldhearted Haymitch could get behind closed doors.

"That boy has feelings for your oldest girl." Haymitch says and Gale coughs, trying not to laugh out loud. I shoot him a look and then turn back towards Haymitch, amazed that he knows that. Perhaps the drunk is more perceptive than we believe him to be.

"Don't be silly Haymitch. The two of them will be contracted in year and half. They wouldn't be stupid enough to become involved or developed feelings for one another. The Mellark's just need help right now, simple as that." Mrs. Everdeen says, standing up to check the fat goose that is baking in the oven.

I catch Haymitch's eye and he gives me a wink, a sort of understanding that we both know the secret between the huntress and the boy with the bread. The feelings weren't mutual for the two of them yet in fact they're complete opposites, a boy from Town and a girl from the Seam, but if Katniss and Peeta were anything like Gale and I it won't be long until Katniss falls, and falls hard.  
It isn't long for Gale to sweep everyone in that game of Go Fish and for the children to lose interest quickly. They collect the cards and move on to play a different game in the yard while it was still light out, occasionally you can hear a snowball hit the window and a burst of giggles erupt from their mouths. A small smile is formed on Hazelle's face and I know that her favorite sound must be her children's laughs.

"Won't be long until there's another Hawthorne around here." Hazelle says looking at Gale and me knowingly.

"Why are you pregnant again, Ma?" Gale asks and I laugh, watching Hazelle shake her head in annoyance but a smile still on her face.

"That's not funny." Hazelle says as she helps set the table. The baked goose smells fantastic and I can't wait to finally eat, but we had to wait for Katniss to come home before the rest of us can dig in.

"It was kind of funny." Mrs. Everdeen says, glancing over her shoulder to look at Hazelle and then at us. "But if there was to be another Hawthorne, I hope it's not a boy. I don't think the girls would be able to handle another Hawthorne boy." She says with a wink and Gale smirks, knowing full well how handsome he is. I nudge him in the ribs and he chuckles, his hand moving to the back of my neck and giving me a small comforting squeeze.

The front door opens and the kids file inside quickly and Rory says, "Peeta walked Katniss home."

"What?" Gale says and I can't tell if he's annoyed or surprised with this piece of news. I put a hand on his knee reminding him that I'm right next to him. Sometimes I feel as if the feelings my husband had for Katniss never fully went away and I don't blame him for that. I know that my feelings for Sinon haven't, but those are locked away and I never want them to resurface.

"Peeta is walking Katniss home." Rory says slowly this time so that his brother can keep up, "They're down the road right now walking this direction."

"Katniss is even smiling." Vick adds and Gale's brows furrow. He reaches down to take my hand into his, but he doesn't seem to be as into it as he had been a moment ago.

"Well Katniss doesn't smile." Rory says, "It's looks more like she's in pain." He adds before making a face, replicating the way Katniss must smile. His lips turn up just a little, making him look more like Gale than anything.

"I think it's sweet that Peeta's walking Katniss home." Primrose says and Rory rolls his eyes, "It is, Peeta's obviously a real gentlemen."

"Why because he walked Katniss home? Come on Prim I do that all the time." Rory says before he blushes deeply, Primrose as well. Gale and Vick laugh at their brother's obvious discomfort but I can't help but smile just a little at the two, seeing a bit of myself and Sinon in them when we were that age and finally realizing what a crush really was.

Katniss finally walks through the front door and everyone looks at her. She takes a step back, cautious of all the attention. Haymitch, obviously not one to pass up an opportunity to make his step-daughter feel uncomfortable, asks "So, how is the baker's son?"

Katniss eyes all of us with a cool glare and I can't help but smile at the tint of color that has risen in her cheeks. "He only walked me home." She says defensively and before Gale, Rory, or Haymitch can tease her she growls, "Drop it." And they do.

I stare at Gale with my mouth somewhat and he looks at me with my brows furrowed, "What?" He asks and I shake my head.

"You would never stop teasing me if I told you to drop it." I say and Gale smirks at me.

"Yeah, because you're my wife." He says as he places a few cut pieces of the goose meat onto my plate. I glare at him and stab him in the forearm with my fork.

"Exactly, all the more reason why you should be nice to me." I say and he shakes his head, stealing a quick kiss from me. Rory and Vick both "ew" and Gale shoots them a look.

"Yeah, but you're not as scary as Katniss. I hunt with her remember." He says and I roll my eyes. Gale chuckles and puts half his share of cooked vegetables onto my plate as a peace offering. He drops his voice low so that I'm the only person at the table that can hear him and says, "You're a bit underweight remember."

"That doesn't mean that I should eat your dinner." I say trying to put the vegetables back onto his plate. "I don't want you to go hungry."

"I'll be fine." He promises and I sigh in annoyance. I knew he would be ok, but the idea of him eating less so I could eat more didn't sit well with me. He works harder than I do and me being a few pounds underweight wasn't going to be an issue. I place my two slices of warm bread from the bakery and place them on Gale's plate.

He eyes me and I look up towards him pleadingly, "Just eat it." I whisper and he sighs, smearing some goat cheese on the slices and taking an annoyed bite. "Thank you." I whisper as I place my hand on his knee.

* * *

"It's freezing." I say when I crawl into bed. Gale grabs a thin blanket out of the closet and tosses it over the three quilts that are already on our bed.

"I don't think this is going to help much." He says and I smile, shrugging my shoulders as I slide farther down underneath the blankets. Gale puts the candles out, causing the room to become pitch black.

He crawls into bed next to me and wraps his arm around my waist his hand coming to rest on my stomach. I smile to myself in the darkness because I know that Gale will probably be the best father. He loves nothing more than his family and I could only imagine how much he could love something that is half of him.

I try to picture our child in my mind again. A little boy that's the exact replica of Gale, only instead of having storm cloud grey eyes he has chocolate brown eyes, a little girl with deep red hair and freckles but eyes the color of silver, both of them a perfect mix of Gale and I personality wise. I can picture our little family of six perfectly and it makes my eyes well up in tears. I didn't want to have to feel losing members of my family again, but I was going to feel it all my life.

My chin begins to quiver and I press my face into Gale's arm. He wraps his arm around me tighter, an instinct because by his slow heavy breathing I can tell he's asleep. I bite my lip and try to picture the happy years between now and my children's future Contract Day's. The happy images I crate are what help me fall asleep tonight because they're all I have to really look forward too.

* * *

And this chapter isn't Beta'd either. I just don't have any patience and I'm trying to find something to distract myself at the moment. I believe that in the next chapter I'm going to skip a few months of the pregnancy because I don't want to drag this out too much longer.

I think you should follow me on tumblr, the link is on my profile. (I blog a lot about One Direction and the Hunger Games)

Anyways, let me know what you think!


	24. Chapter 24

"I think this is going to be the best birthday Gale's ever had." Vick says as he helps his two other siblings and Primrose hang faded streamers from the ceiling.

"Especially with the gift Norah has for him." Rory adds, glancing at my swollen seven month stomach. He's referring to the fact that at my appointment today we'll finally receive the first images of our baby and learn if we'll be having a boy or girl. The only upsetting part about it is that Gale's working since it's a Wednesday, at least I'll have the image for him when he gets off work and we'll be able to share the news with everyone right away at his birthday dinner this evening.

"Speaking of which, I should be going." I say and Hazelle smiles happily, scrubbing some laundry heavily against washboard, beads of sweat forming on her brows.

"Are you going by yourself?" She asks and I shake my head, placing my sun hat from District Four on the top of my head.

"Katniss is meeting me there, she was already going to be in town anyways." I say and Hazelle nods her head, wishing me luck as I step out into the warm summer sun.

District Twelve can get pretty warm in the summer, making my pregnancy unbearable and me extremely irritable. Gale's been very supportive through all of it though, even with be being such a pain. As I walk, or actually waddle, I begin to absent-mindedly rub my stomach. The baby kicks softly in response and I bit my lip, again imagining what our child will look like. Will he or she be like Gale; strong-willed, dark, and hard-working or will he or she be like me; soft spoken, fair-skinned, and gentle. Hopefully he or she will be a mix of both of us, receiving our better traits.

The town comes into view and I it doesn't take long for me to stop in front of the Mellark bakery. Katniss is inside, sitting on the counter, listening to whatever Peeta is telling her. The scene is content and I can't help but smile watching as Katniss' small smirk transforms into a laugh. Peeta admires her for a few minutes and I shake my head, suddenly feeling very sorry for the two. They had a year left together, Katniss turns seventeen next month and Peeta not only a week later.

It took the two awhile to begin any sort of friendship. Katniss would go to the bakery early to make trades and then Peeta would walk her home after school. Katniss acted as if he annoyed her but all of us saw through that lie, she adored him about as much as he did her.

I enter the bakery, not wanting to be late for my appointment and the tiny bell above the door tingles lightly. Katniss looks up surprised, a small blush flooding her cheeks and Peeta grins at me. "You look great, absolutely glowing." Peeta says and I roll my eyes, resting my hand protectively over my stomach.

"No I look like a swollen balloon." I reply and he chuckles, reaching into the cookie display to pull my favorite, a fresh sugar cookie with vanilla frosting. He hands it to me and I take the cookie willingly, knowing he probably baked the fresh batch since I was coming in.

"Are you ready Katniss?" I ask and she nods, hopping off the counter and giving Peeta a look. A smile passes between them and Peeta hands her a cookie as well. "We'll see you tonight Peeta?" I ask as I back towards the door.

"Of course, I've got Gale's birthday cake all ready." Peeta says and Katniss and I both stop short.

"No." We say in unison and Peeta's brows lift high, almost to his hairline.

"No?" He questions and I sigh, rubbing my forehead.

"Yes, no." I say and Peeta looks even more confused, "You can't make Gale a birthday cake, he'll think you're being nice."

"But I am being nice." Peeta says and Katniss sighs.

"We know," she says as she plays with the tips of her braid, "but Gale doesn't like anyone from town and if you make him a birthday cake, that Norah didn't pay for he'll think you're giving him charity and it will give him just another reason not to like you." She explains and I nod my head in agreement.

"So you don't want me to bring a birthday cake, even though it's his birthday." Peeta says slowly, looking at the two of us like we're insane.

"Exactly." I answer and he rolls his eyes.

"Whatever you two say, don't want the ever friendly Gale not to like me." Peeta says sarcastically and I cross my arms over my chest, glaring playfully at him.

"Be nice, that is my husband you're talking about." I say and Peeta shakes his head.

"I'll see you two tonight, without the birthday cake I slaved so hard over." Peeta calls dramatically after us and Katniss rolls her eyes, glancing back at the blonde behind the counter, a smile still playing on her lips.

"You know he's still going to bring the cake." Katniss says as we walk down the path that leads to the specialist's building.

"I know." I sigh, fixing my straw hat so that it doesn't blow off in the warm summer breeze. "When's the last time Gale had a cake from the bakery at his birthday?" I ask and Katniss thinks about it for a few moments.

"Probably his fourteenth birthday, the one just before his father died. Hazelle could never afford one on her paycheck alone." Katniss answers and I cringe a bit at the answer. I always had a birthday cake on my birthday.

"So maybe it is a good idea for Peeta to bring the cake." I say, puffing out a deep breath and pressing on my stomach a bit.

"Kicking again?" Katniss asks and I nod, holding my breath, "Well, I know that Gale's not going to like the idea of Peeta giving him anything. He already hates the idea of me and Peeta…"

She becomes quiet and I grin, nudging her a tiny bit with my elbow, "It's ok to say it." I say and she sighs, pushing her hair away from her sweaty forehead.

"No it's not. I'm leaving District Twelve in a year and Peeta's going to stay here and make another girl, his wife really happy." She says, incredibly brave and I squeeze her hand reassuringly.

"I guess you two are just going to have to make the best of it." I say and she nods her head, opening the door to the specialists building for me.

"I guess so."

* * *

Dr. Weston squirts the cold jelly onto my stomach and I jump when it touches my skin. I'm nervous about everything with this appointment. The same three questions circulate around my mind as they always do when I have an appointment that I need to attend; _what if there's something wrong with our baby, am I having a girl or a boy, I wonder what Gale is thinking about right now._

Dr. Weston places the ultrasounds transducer onto my stomach. Right away a heartbeat sounds in the silent room and Katniss squeezes my hand, as the transducer slides across my stomach another sounds. Two little rhythmic heartbeats sound in the room and I stare wide-eyed at the screen as Dr. Weston points out, not only one but two babies on the screen.

"Twins." Dr. Weston says with a smile and I choke, covering my eyes with my arm because I can feel the tears forming, "Twin girls." She says after a few moments and I smile, a few tears slipping down my cheeks.

"Girls, really?" I ask and Dr. Weston nods her head, still studying the little monitor as their tiny little heartbeats pound.

"Gale's going to be so excited." Katniss says as her eyes scan the monitor.

"He wanted a boy." I say and Katniss rolls her eyes.

"Gale wanted a child and now he's going to get two." Katniss says and I smile, looking at the two tiny babies that are still on the monitor.

"Are they healthy?" I ask and Dr. Weston licks her lips, before looking at me.

"Um, one of them is considerably smaller and seems to have a weaker heartbeat but everything seems to be just fine." Dr. Weston says as she writes something down on a clipboard, "You're doing everything right Norah, I wouldn't be worried."

I nod, glancing at her but not for long. I didn't want to take my eyes off the screen, Dr. Weston chuckles and takes a few snapshots from the monitor for me to bring home to Gale. I clean the jelly off my stomach sit up, rubbing my hand over not one daughter but two.

When Dr. Weston comes back into the room with the snapshots I tuck the pictures safely into my bag. "Thank you." I say and Dr. Weston grins at me.

"I'm just doing my job Norah." She chirps and I smile at her, "But we do need to talk about a few things, like the birthing arrangement. Do you plan on having the baby here in the delivery ward or at home."

"Gale and I are more comfortable with having it home." I answer, we had already talked about it a few weeks before now. Gale had been born at home, so had I, and so had our siblings. The only babies I know to be born in the specialist's building are the ones that too early, have complications, or need a C-section and considering that Dr. Weston believes I'm having a smooth pregnancy and will have smooth birth Gale and I think it's the best interest to have our baby, now babies, at home.

Dr. Weston makes a note on her clipboard, "Alright, so I'm guessing you're in favor of no pain medication."

I nod my head and she chuckles again, making another note, "Brave girl. Now all you and Gale need to do is fill out this paperwork so you can get the furniture and basic necessities such as bottles and blankets for your girls. Just turn this into the Justice Building as soon as you can."

"Alright," I say taking the thin pile of paperwork. I place it gently in my bag along with the photo, glancing at the picture once again. I'm going to have daughters; the idea is so foreign but so amazing at the same time.

As Katniss and I walk back towards the Seam, she studies the picture. She seems so amazed by the two babies that are resting in my stomach as we walk. "Do you really think Gale's going to be excited?" I ask and Katniss smiles.

"Of course, you know Gale loves nothing more than his family." She says, handing me back the photo.

"Yeah but one baby is expensive, two babies is just really going to put stress on him. How are we going to afford double of everything?" I say and Katniss sighs.

"I know it's going to be a lot for you two." Katniss says and I rub my temples, trying to rid a headache before it even hits, "But I know if anyone in the Seam can make it work it will be you two, you're adaptable and Gale's a handworker. You're girls are going to have the best eighteen years here with you two. I know it."

"It's a shame you won't be here to see that." I say and Katniss shrugs her shoulders, doing her very best not to look sad.

"So how are you going to tell Gale?" Katniss asks, changing the subject quickly. She's the very last person to talk about her contract day.

"You know he's going to want to know the second he gets home from work. So I'll show him the photo before we head over to Hazelle's for the big birthday dinner, he should know before everyone else anyways." I say and Katniss nods in agreement.

"It probably killed him not to be here today." Katniss says and I nod.

"Thom had to practically drag him out of the house this morning." I reply and Katniss chuckles, picturing the scene in her head.

"Don't be nervous about telling him." Katniss says when we reach my house, "He's going to be excited no matter what."

I nod my head and we say our goodbyes. Since I still have a few hours until Gale comes home I decide to wrap his other birthday present. We had promised to not get anything for each other's birthday when the day comes but I know that Gale will definitely buy me something on my birthday and Gale needs my gift anyways. I had bought him a fresh pack of work shirts from the tailor since his were so tattered and patched up that I'm embarrassed to let him leave for work in the morning when he wears them.

I place the shirts in a smooth box and tie a hunter green ribbon around it to keep the top to the bottom. It's nothing extravagant but it's something and something is always better than nothing.

Gale bursts into the house the same time he always does, 6:30 sharp. He has a wide smile on his face and can't seem to get his work boots off fast enough. I laugh watching him and his grin widens, his grey eyes landing on me.

"So, give me the news." He says and I shake my head, pushing the chair next to me out so that he has to sit down. Gale takes about four quick large strides and sits down, his fingers tapping against the table in excitement.

"Did you have a good day at work?" I question, stalling to make him sweat a little bit longer. He scowls playfully at me, before making a quick grab for the photo I have turned down on the table. For once I'm faster than him. I'm able to slide the photo just out of his reach, causing him to sigh impatiently.

"Norah." He groans and I laugh, enjoying the power I have at the moment. "Come on, I've been waiting for the news all day. I practically ran home the second I got out of the mines."

"I know." I say, my hand caressing his face gently. There is a layer of stubble that has grown out on his face that scratches me whenever he kisses. I rub my thumb gently over it now, scared of what his reaction will be when he finds out its two babies instead of one. "I love you." I remind him and his grin softens as he leans into me, pressing his lips to mine.

"I love you." He replies before placing his hand on top of mine and working my grip off the photo. He slides the photo face down towards himself before flipping it over to see our two girls.

It takes a moment for the image to process in his mind but when it finally registers he looks at me. For the first time I find a small amount of tears well in Gale's eyes and I find myself sighing in relief. I should have known better than to doubt Gale, he just wants a family.

"We're going to have two babies." Gale whispers and I smile, knowing that if he tries to talk at his normal volume his voice will crack.

"Two beautiful little Hawthorne girls." I whisper back to him, resting my head against his shoulder. Gale kisses the top of my head and continues to study the picture, his thumb brushing over it gently. We sit in our comfortable silence, studying the picyure and leaning against one another.

After awhile, Gale finally says "We should probably head over to Ma's, she'll have a heart attack if she doesn't know about her grandchildren." Gale says as he helps me out of the chair. We link arms and I smile, glancing back up towards him, happy to find that the smile has yet to falter from his face.

I scoop his gift off the table and Gale scowls at it, "I thought we agreed, no presents."

"Yes, but you need these." I say and he sighs, rolling his eyes a little.

"You got me work shirts?" He asks and I give him a look, causing him to chuckle and pull me closer to him as we step into the evening air. The sky is turning from blues to oranges and pinks and I can't help but feel happy at the perfect weather for Gale's birthday.

"Yes I got you work shirts, yours are absolutely horrifying. I'm embarrassed to call myself your wife when you wear them." I say and he laughs, pinching my arm gently.

"Well we can't have that, can we?" He says as he takes the box from my hands. "So who exactly did you invite?"

"Just the Everdeen's including Haymitch, Thom and Bristle, and Peeta." I say, wearily glancing at him when I mention Peeta's name.

"Why is Peeta going to be there?" He grumbles and I roll my eyes.

"Because he's Katniss' friend." I say and he scoffs his feet on the ground like a child, causing me to shake my head at him.

"But it's not Katniss' birthday." Gale says and I can't help but laugh at him.

"Oh stop it. There is nothing wrong with Peeta." I say as we reach the front door. I fix the collar of his shirt and run my hands over his chest before wrapping my arms around his neck, my stomach getting in the way once again. I sigh in frustration and Gale chuckles, placing his hand onto my stomach just as one of our girl's kicks.

* * *

Gale tenses the moment Peeta walks in with a cake box in his arms. I place my hand on his knee and he glances at me, "Why does he have a cake?"

"It's his gift to you. It's not a birthday without a cake." I say and Gale's brows furrow together.

"Really, because I've been having birthdays without cake for about four years and so have Rory, Vick, and Posey." Gale grumbles and I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose because of course he's going to be difficult about Peeta. Peeta could save Gale's life and Gale would tell Peeta that he didn't need charity.

"Please don't act like this right now. It's your birthday; you're supposed to be happy." I say desperately and Gale puts his hand on top of mine.

"I am happy." He says with a small smile before picking my hand up and pressing a warm kiss to the back of it.

Hazelle places old multicolored candles onto the cake and I can't help but wonder when was the last time they were used. I smile at Gale when I see a genuine small grin on his face as Thom leads us in a loud round of happy birthday. I keep my hand on Gale's shoulder and he blows out his candles with one puff of breath.

"What did you wish for?" Posey asks and Gale scoops her up, placing her on his lap.

"If I tell you it won't come true now will it?" Gale asks and she smiles, shrugging her shoulders in response. Gale tickles her sides and she squeals with laughter, doing her very best to wiggle away from him.

As the cake is being cut by Mrs. Everdeen I find Hazelle's eyes on Gale and me. She seems restless, excited and I know exactly why. Gale seems to know too because he pulls the picture from my ultrasound out of his pocket and she claps her hands together.

"I know what most of you are waiting for." Gale says as he slides the photo face down onto the table. The talking in the room ceases and the only sound is the guest's forks hitting their plates and the sound of Tula, Bristle and Thom's eight month old, babbling as she gnaws on a plastic teething ring.

"Gale, please don't make a speech. I just want to know if I'm having a granddaughter or grandson." Hazelle says and the room chuckles. Gale smiles at his mom and looks over at me, I nod for him to just tell everyone. I know that Hazelle has been waiting forever.

"Well actually ma, you're going to have two granddaughters." Gale says and Hazelle's mouth drops. The silence in the room only lasts for a few seconds after the announcement and then everyone is calling out congratulations. Even Haymitch puts a hand on Gale's shoulder and then winks at me.

Hazelle places a hand on my stomach and says, "That means I have to knit double of everything."

"Oh Hazelle you don't need to do that." I say and she rolls her eyes at me.

"Please Norah, it's a grandmother's job to knit things for their grandchildren." She says and I smile, not really knowing what she meant. My grandmother Mags had a stroke before I was born and after that she was never easy to understand and she couldn't get around very well, let alone knit her grandchildren anything. She passed away by the time Persi was four.

"Hazelle you're much too young to be referring to yourself as a grandmother." I say and Hazelle chuckles, brushing her hair from her face.

"Well I don't have much of a choice." Hazelle says before taking my hand into hers, "I'm sure your mother would be just as excited."

"Oh I know she would." I answer and Hazelle smiles warmly towards me. Gale comes up behind me and places a comforting hand on the small of my back, right where I usually get back pains. He presses into my back gently, giving me a small massage.

"So what do you plan on naming them?" Bristle asks as she hugs Tula close to her. The baby isn't so tiny and quiet anymore, in fact she looks just like Bristle, with dark brown locks and even darker brown eyes. Tula looks more like a District Seven native, but she has her father's olive toned skin a prominent trait for those who can trace their family back for generations in District Twelve.

"We haven't really decided on it yet." I say and Gale smirks. I'm sure he's thinking back to the argument we had earlier in the week. We had two very different ideas about names, we can't even decide on what letter the name should at least start with.

"Well at least there's going to be two, so you can have one District Four name and one District Twelve." Bristle says in support, she drops her voice lower and says to me only, "Don't fall for just any name though. Thom wanted to name Tula, Naima." She cringes when she says the name and I can't help but chuckle, "Make sure the name means something and your girls can be proud of it."

"Name them something they can live up too." I quote, remembering my father tell Finnick and Annie these words when they were trying to find the perfect name for Finn. I never gave Finn's name a second thought after hearing this piece of advice; living up to Finnick is going to be a difficult task for anyone.

"Exactly." Bristle says before she hugs me, "We have to get going, got to put little Tula to bed."

I smile and kiss Tula's chubby little cheek. She coos and I smile, hugging Thom goodbye as well.

"See you tomorrow morning." Thom says Gale and my husband nods, yawning already. Towards the end of the week work usually catches up to him, luckily Sunday is coming up soon. I place a hand on Gale's arm and he shifts to wrap his arm around my waist instead.

* * *

"We need to make a list." Gale says when we're finally in bed that night. He's rubbing my back in slow circles.

"A list for what?" I ask sleepily as I feel one of our girls shift around. I tense for a moment and Gale's hand pauses, waiting to see if there's something wrong. "I'm fine." I say and he goes back to rubbing my back slowly.

"A list of names." Gale says and I sigh, sitting up slowly and turning on the oil lamp. He's wide awake and I can tell he's stressed even if he doesn't want me to know.

"We have a list of names." I say, pulling the notepad off my nightstand and showing him the list again. There has to be more than thirty names written in Gale's handwriting and then at least another thirty written in mine, some are crossed out others are spelled multiple ways, a few are circled and our favorites are starred. "Should we narrow them down?" I ask, knowing that I should do something to get Gale to relax a little bit.

"I guess," he says sitting up and pushing a hand through his hair. "What do we have for the "ok" names?"

"Penelope, Haven, Cora, Brook, Morgan, Marella, Lyn, and Adriane." I say and Gale's nose crinkles.

"Scratch off Cora, it's too close to Norah." Gale says and I ex it out. "Can we move Haven and Brook to the favorite list?"

"How about just Haven?" I ask and he shrugs his shoulders, "I'm still standing by the name Adriane."

"I'm really not a fan of it." Gale says but I star the name anyways and call out a few more of our choices. "What's on the favorites?" Gale asks and I go back to the top of the list, naming off all the starred names. I'm glad that we can rule out all the boy names, it makes the task at hand a little easier.

"Okay, um we have: Avery, Talya, Dillon, Maisie, Eden, Rosie, Isla, Molly, and now Haven and Adriane." I say and Gale groans, covering his face with his hands, "We don't have to decide right now."

"I know that but we're just going to keep putting it off and we're finally going to have them and their just going to have simple common names." Gale says and I laugh softly, taking his hand into mine.

"We'll figure this out," I say and Gale sighs, taking the notepad from me.

"I like Avery and Molly paired together." Gale says, writing the two names on a fresh piece of paper, "Avery and Molly Hawthorne, one District Twelve name and one District Four name."

"Talya Hawthorne." I say and Gale's nose crinkles again, "Dillon Hawthorne. Is it too late to scratch those two off? They're nice names but not what I want."

"Only if it's not too late to knock off the names Isla and Adriane." Gale replies and I roll my eyes.

"We just added Adrianne to the list." I say and Gale shakes his head.

"No you added Adriane to the list." Gale answers and I sigh rubbing my temples. Gale chuckles and I hear the pencil scratch through all four names.

"Well what's wrong with Isla?" I ask and Gale just looks at me.

"It's just not what I want." Gale replies sarcastically and I take the notepad back from him.

"Fine, so we have Avery, Molly, Maisie, Eden, Rosie and Haven left." I say and Gale nods yawning. He seems a bit more relaxed now that we have an idea of what we could possibly name our girls. "I think we should sleep on it." I say and Gale agrees, I place the notepad back onto my nightstand and turn out the lamp.

We snuggle back into the position from earlier, my back towards him so that he can rub out some of my aches. I continue to go every name until I fall asleep, hoping the naming will be the most stressful part of this process.

* * *

I have a poll on my profile for you guys to vote on your favorite names. This chapter hasn't been beta'd again because I didn't send it in. I forgot my account info for google docs so I'm going to need to figure that out.

Anyways, let me know what you guys think and remember to vote for your favorite names!


End file.
